#i have a friend who went to high school with my sister who does landscape consulting

[chloeangelic]

the paper salesman

Brother's best friend!Jim Halpert x f!reader Rating: 18+ My masterlist I Max's masterlist

Summary: You spot your childhood crush at a birthday party and end up in his room together.

Warnings: Smut, AU where Pam does not exist, alcohol, oral (f receiving), handjob, semi protected PIV, creampie, squirting.

A/N: Well, well, well, if it isn't me and my froggy friend @macfrog back with another fic. But this time, it's not satire - this one is actually serious, and we are taking full advantage of everyone's teenage crush on season 2 Jim.

Word count: 6k

You pick at the edge of your wine glass, nodding along as the sound of your brother’s girlfriend talking about work turns into a low, buzzing sort of hum, indistinguishable from the other voices in the room. It seems that turning thirty was the catalyzing event for your older brother’s birthday parties to turn from all-nighters at clubs to barbecues at his new house. The attendance changed too — what used to be a crowd of girls in tight, short dresses has been replaced by a landscape of coworkers and childhood friends that he has reconnected with over the past year. 

There’s a couple people singing karaoke by the TV across the room, and although neither of them are singing in tune, you cheer them on as you half-heartedly listen to your future sister-in-law’s story. People are scattered around in groups of two, three, or four, chatting amongst themselves against the tapestry of multicolored string lights and framed photos. You can’t imagine your brother had much to do with the interior design choices, and assume Stacie took him to the department store and filled a shopping cart with lights and lamps and frames that would make the living space for two thirty-year-old men a little less bland and sterile. 

But still, despite the obvious decorative touch of Mark’s girlfriend around the room – you can’t help but wonder which parts were chosen by his roommate.

Jim Halpert – your brother’s best friend for as long as you can remember. Six-foot-something, polite and awkwardly charming. Lingering on your front steps to walk with Mark to school, backpack slung over one shoulder, or waiting patiently in the kitchen doorway while your brother finishes eating dinner, a basketball sat in the ‘c’ of his elbow. Making a whole lot of nothing conversation with your mom about school, about how his brothers were doing, growing bashful when she’d bring up girlfriends.

He’s five years older than you, but that ten-year-old ghost of yourself would sit twirling the fork in her fingers, mindlessly dragging mashed potato around her plate. Watching the way he’d toss the flicks of fringe from his eyes, cross one foot over the other as he answered every incessant question of your mother’s with the dutiful respect of a well-raised boy. Your crush was obvious back then, easily spotted by her whenever Jim stayed for dinner. You’d look away, bite back your smile and try to stifle your laugh at his jokes, hoping he wouldn’t notice. That little crush stayed with you, despite the boys you went on to date in high school, and the ones you slept with and tried to get serious with in college to no avail. Every time you came back from the holidays, Jim would inevitably show up for dinner one day, and you would revert back to that shy ten-year-old, sitting in the same seats as you did back then. 

You watched him become a man in front of your eyes, and by the time you started getting physical with your first boyfriend, little thoughts began to weasel themselves into your mind about Jim. It was entirely inappropriate, and that curiosity should have directed itself exclusively to the boy who had taken you out to the movies, to prom and to homecoming, but you wondered what Jim looked like shirtless, you wondered about his experience, about the size of his cock. One weekend in your freshman year of college, with nothing else to do but to visit your parents, you tagged along with Mark to his basketball game, and sat on the bleachers with your eyes glued to Jim, to the sweat that darkened his jersey and the undeniable bulge in his shorts. He came up to say hi after, his brown hair drenched with sweat as well, looking at you through stunning green eyes as he asked how school was going. You made him laugh with a story about a professor, and the sound of his chuckles echoed in your mind the rest of the night. He had moved out of his parents’ house by then, and started working as a salesman at a paper company in town. 

He still works there – as far as you know, at least, based on what he told you the last time you saw him, picking him and Mark up from their high school reunion two years back. 

Mark had drank a little too much and had needed Jim’s steady arm around his shoulder to direct him to your car. You swallowed down the butterflies which quickly took flight in your stomach as you watched the two figures stumble towards your Honda, the taller of the two lending you a small smile as he slotted your brother into the front seat. You kept your composure right up until he closed the front door, and then you sped all the way home with your heart racing and your blood pumping.

“Some people are just allergic to receiving help,” Stacie announces, yelling a little over the screeching of the karaoke mics. She’s rambling to one of Mark’s coworkers – Hal? Sal? – about one of her co-workers, some new kid fresh from college who can’t work the printer by himself and refuses to let her show him.

You’re about to get up for a refill when a weight slides onto the couch by your side, nudging you with a sweatered elbow.

“Fancy seeing you here,” he mutters, and when you turn, your breath catches at the sight of those familiar green eyes and flicks of brown hair.

“Hey,” you reply, fingers awkwardly lifting to tuck some hair behind your ear. You feel a heat flush into your cheeks and pray it doesn’t show in an embarrassing dewy glow to Jim. “Cool party. Karaoke’s a nice touch.”

“Eh,” he shrugs, giving you his signature smirk. His voice is so deep, a little husky even, as he sits close, “It’s an easy way to keep the guests entertained without me having to do much of anything, or your brother, for that matter.” 

You hum in response, reluctantly annoyed that Mark is already at the front of his mind when he sees you. “Are you still working that paper job?”, you ask, raising an eyebrow and hoping that your nerves don’t come across, that he’ll simply consider you as flirty to everyone if your attempts don’t land.  

“Yeah,” he says, nodding, picking at the label of his beer bottle for a moment. 

“Salesman of the year?” 

“Well,” he chuckles, his head tilting to the side, a little unsure, “Maybe sometimes.” Is he embarrassed? Shy? You watch his eyes as they flicker up and scan the room. “What are you up to these days?”, he asks when his eyes land back on you, flaring open for a split second before they settle on yours. 

“You know,” you shrug, eyes looping once around the room, “Working, the usual.” You feel your chest tighten with an urge to come up with something more fucking interesting than work. Your fingers hooked behind your ear again, you sputter, “Got my hair done last week.”

Jim smiles, reassuringly so. “Yeah,” he says, nodding, “I can tell. It looks good. I like the, uh –”, he points a little haphazardly, “The way you styled it. Suits you.”

“Thanks,” your cheeks swell in a genuine smile, averting his gaze as the compliment seeps into your skin. You twirl the stem of your glass in your fingers, and Jim knocks a knuckle against the rim.

“You need a top up?”, he asks, standing up.

“Yeah, actually,” you reply, taking his hand when he offers it and pulling yourself to your feet.

You follow him through to the kitchen, dodging the erratic arm movements of some guy chittering to Mark about stocks, and over to the fridge. You lean your hip against the counter, watching as Jim carefully refills your wine and slides it back across to you.

You take a tentative sip under his watchful gaze, and raise your eyebrows, nodding subtly in approval as you swallow, “This is pretty good. What’s a guy like you doing with decent wine in his fridge?” 

He lets out a nervous laugh and looks around, takes a sip of the glass he poured himself. “I actually got it for a, uh- a date, a couple weeks ago,” he doesn’t look at you as he speaks, looking out through the dining room, “She said it was good so I figured I’d get some for tonight.” 

Oof. A tinge of jealousy makes your stomach curl, and you take another large sip, forcing it down as you think of what to say. You can still hear the out of tune melodies from the living room, though the silence between you and Jim drowns out the noise. “What did you do?”, you ask, hoping you can mask your jealousy with a sneaky tone. 

“Took her to dinner a few times, walked around a bit, came back here and had some wine.”

You want to gag, just a little bit. “And how come she’s not here tonight then?”

“Didn’t really, uh– didn’t really work out, so…” 

“So you’re just sitting here day in and day out with her wine in the fridge, waiting for her to come back?” 

Jim breathes a laugh, pushing the air from his cheeks, “Alright. Wow. That one stung.”

You giggle, taking a step closer, “I’m just messing with you,” you say into your glass. Each splash of alcohol over your tongue filling you with more courage.

He tilts his head, eyebrows cocked, “Tell me about your love life, then, up on your high horse.”

You stifle another girlish giggle, using it to mask your reaction to the awkward question. Your love life – if you could even call it that – has been even more miserable than Jim’s sounds. Messages left on read, painful first dates with jocks still stuck in their high school eras, with uptight career men who only cared to talk about themselves, or with guys who had weird hobbies and left you to pay the bill for a date they asked you on.

You’ve gotten good at avoiding the topic with your mom, turning it instead into conversation about Mark and Stacie, framing it into a question of, When are they thinking of getting married? Having kids of their own, right, Mom?, but standing in front of the one guy you’ve been shamelessly crushing on since you were ten years old – it becomes a little harder to divert.

“Uh,” you mumble, the rim of your glass balanced on your bottom lip, “I’m – I’m just taking some time to myself right now, you know? Focusing on me.”

He grins, almost gleeful. Electricity pulses through your veins. “Nice save,” he tells you, tipping his glass towards you, “I hear what you’re really saying.”

“Oh?” 

“Yep,” he says, matter-of-factly, “You also got dumped at Red Lobster.”

You snort, then apologize, closing your eyes and trying to stifle your grin as you try to collect yourself. “Red lobster,” you clear your throat, “That’s pretty bad. At least it wasn’t Chili’s. And I would know, cause I got dumped at Chili’s.” 

The two of you keep it together for a few moments, looking at the floor, until you meet each other’s eyes and burst into laughter, having this absolutely pathetic little thing in common. The sound of his laugh makes your chest flutter, the sight of his smile and his hand running through his hair. He wipes the tears from his eyes as he looks at you, and you bite the tip of your tongue, trying to halt the uncontrollable giggles that make your stomach hurt. 

When you’re composed, a couple more swigs of wine down your throat, you settle back against the counter and say, “So. When’s the tour leaving?”

Jim’s eyebrows lift, “The tour?”

You nod, “House tour. Mark hasn’t shown me around yet. The most I’ve seen is your downstairs bathroom.”

He scoffs. Pushes off from the counter, the wine in his glass splashing, “He’s a terrible host. C’mon, I’ll show you around.”

Your heels click along the tile floor as you squeeze between bodies, heading for the hallway where Jim pauses. “Bathroom,” he says, nodding to the door right by the stairs, “But you already knew that.” He steps back against the wall at the first step, holding a hand out to usher you up first. “Ladies first,” he says, smiling genially.

You snort, but waltz by his body, holding onto the handrail as you climb the stairs carefully, the alcohol mixed with your shoe choice making it a dangerous feat. Jim’s close behind, footsteps slowly echoing your own, and you can’t help but think of the tight, short skirt of your dress, the way it hugs your thighs, the placement of his gaze as he wanders up behind you.

Reaching the top of the stairs, you look around at the assortment of doors, waiting for Jim to tell you which room serves as the first stop. You can sense him right behind you, slightly to your side, and out of the corner of your eye, you see him looking down at you, swallowing slowly. “Mark’s room,” he says, nodding to the right and waiting until you look up at him before he takes a step over and opens the door. He lets you peek inside, look around until you nod and step back, before he urges you forward, towards another door. 

“Upstairs bathroom,” he remarks, and you give the room a similar examination, noticing the streak-free mirror. 

“Looks… clean,” you say, as if there’s anything better to say about a typical bathroom. He gives a muttered thanks in return, then points to the last door. 

“And that’s my room.” 

“May I?”, you grin, then step fully inside, looking around at his bed, his dresser, and finally, his desk. You sit down in the office chair and give it a test spin, before your attention is caught by the art on the wall. “What’s this?”, you ask, while he steps in as well, hesitating for a second as he looks at the door, opting to leave it open before he comes over and sits down on his bed. 

Jim’s head wobbles as he searches for an answer. “It’s – well, it’s – you know. It’s…a print that I…liked.”

“You have no idea, do you?”

“Not a clue,” he responds, quick as a bullet. “I saw it at a yard sale – thought it went with the colors of my bedsheets. That’s how interior design works, right?”

You smile, “Sure. You’re no Stacie, but – sure.”

Jim nods. Your eye is drawn to the dip in the bed where he sits, the weight of his wide frame on the mattress. His open thighs, his elbows resting on his knees, wine swirling as he slowly rocks the glass. He slowly lifts it to his lips, taking a sip without breaking your stare.

You cross your legs by instinct. Your skirt rides a little higher. Jim glances down, and then straight back up. You can feel your blood thrumming through every limb, every part of your body sensitized and alight. It doesn’t help any when he stands from the bed and wanders over, towering over you as he looks at something on the desk.

He reaches over your shoulder, and you can smell his cologne on his sweater, sharp and fresh, a hint of something sweeter. He pulls a photo frame from the shelf behind you and turns it around.

“Graduation,” he says, and your eyes are drawn down to the cheesy grins of him and your brother, donned in black mortarboards and sweeping gowns.

You nod, pretending you’re paying attention. But he’s so close that his jeans rub against your bare legs, so close that you’re staring up just to meet his eye. Your palms begin to perspire, his voice turning into a blur as he points to a couple other frames, photos of people you didn’t recognize in places you couldn’t quite place. The rest of your wine is downed in a single sip, the glass carefully placed behind you, on the surface of his desk. 

Jim seems to have finished recounting memories to you, but he doesn’t move. Stays stood over you, his own drink forgotten on the floor by his bed. A silence falls between you – but not the thick, awkward kind of silence you’re used to around guys. It’s lighter, it’s breathable. It swirls around your limbs like the fluttering feeling in your belly, wraps tightly around them and pushes you to your feet, the back of Jim’s chair rocking against his desk.

You’re eye-to-eye, your chest pushing gently against his. He glances down to your lips, wet with wine and the dabbing of your tongue, and then back up. He leans in, curving around your shoulders to set the photo frame still in his hand back on the desk. When he straightens up again, your hands find his chest.

You stare at one another, seemingly a thousand words exchanged between your soft, drunken gaze and his – and yet, none of them pass your lips. There’s a weight on your waist – Jim’s hands either side of your body, squeezing the tight fabric of your dress. You tilt your head, moving closer, lips parting. And he leans in.

He kisses you, slow at first. Your hands lift to cup his jaw, steady yourself on the weight of him. All of your past selves begin to bubble to the surface, each one lighting your skin, pulling on every nerve. Jim feels warm, his lips wet and sweet from the alcohol. Your nails sift through his hair, tugging gently as he pushes his tongue deeper into your mouth. He groans lightly, seemingly as hungry for you as you are for him, holding himself back, handling you with a care and gentleness you hope he might set aside. You’ve wanted him for so long and you’ll let him do anything, you want all of him, you want him to ravage you and fuck you until you stumble down the staircase and until you can never look your brother in the eyes. 

There’s a smashing sound from downstairs and a squeal, followed by a chorus of disappointment from the other guests. It splits the two of you apart, bumping teeth as your lips disconnect. You’re both panting, hot breath occupying the space between you. You can feel the hardness of his bulge pushing against you, and your arousal building, spreading to the tips of your breasts as your nipples harden. He’s huge, you can already tell, and you swallow around a lump in your throat, trying not to think of how long it’s been since you felt a man inside of you. 

Jim smiles, still holding you close to his body. Your hands wrap around his wrists, and you lean into him again to whisper, “I think we should close the door.”

He nods, and steps back to let you by. You close the door slowly, letting it thud into place as quiet as you can, despite the obvious chaos happening downstairs. When you step back towards him, his eyes are on yours, hands reaching out to pull you closer, one around your waist and one around the nape of your neck, letting you melt into his hold while he locks his lips with yours. You hope he can’t feel the rapid beating of your heart or the dampness of your skin, letting your hands fall to the edge of his pants and starting to fumble with the button. 

You start to unzip his jeans while he walks you back towards his bed, licking into your mouth and nibbling on your lower lip. You slip a hand down over his clothed cock, carefully palming it and feeling the girth and contours against your skin. He lets out a slight grunt at your touch, moving his hand down to squeeze your ass cheek through your dress, his large hand grabbing your flesh and kneading it with the aggression you’ve been hoping for, just a hint of it coming through in the firmness of his grasp. 

He reaches the bed as you draw your hand out of his pants and dip your fingers behind his waistband, feeling the goosebumps spreading across his skin, grabbing hold of the stretchy fabric and lifting it up, over his erection, pulling it down alongside his pants to see his cock hanging free, flushed and wet at the tip. You bite his lip before you pull back to look, and can’t help a whimper escaping your throat as you brush your fingertips along his length. It feels endless, long veins bulging out that you trace with your nails. He's so thick, wide at the root, all the way to the tip. He can't possibly fit inside but you clench at the thought of him trying. Another pearly bead of precome spills out from his slit at your touch, and with his hands still grasping your neck and the meat of your ass, you gently rub the pad of your thumb over this head, feeling the slick slide of his spend beneath your finger, then wrap your hand around him, fingertips not even close to meeting, and stroke him slowly.

Your breaths are shallow, rapid, and when you feel your mouth start to water at the sight of his cock sliding through your hand, Jim pulls you back in to kiss you, grunting and groaning while your hand slides rhythmically up and down, making him throb with arousal. He moves his hips, fucking into your grasp with hushed moans that send your head spinning, your cunt pulsing.

Jim begins to peel the dress from your shoulders, slipping the fabric down until your breasts are exposed, the chilly edge of the air hardening your nipple. He pauses, watches the rhythmic movements of your soft, supple tits as your hand pumps up and down, the rise and fall of your chest with each breath. His fingers dig deep beneath the ruffled fabric, tugging it lower and lower until he’s lifting your hips, disturbing the lace of your panties as he discards the dress to the floor.

You pause as he strips the sweater from his shoulders, tossing it to some corner of the room before he’s back on you, the slick tip of his dick leaving sticky trails on your lower stomach.

“You’re so, so good at that,” he murmurs against your lips, sentence broken in two by another hot, wet kiss. Your eyes roll at the taste of him, the strength of his tongue against yours, the hunger with which he takes your bottom lip between his teeth and sucks, letting it go only to fill your mouth with himself again. You push at the edge of his jeans and boxers, bunching them up in your hands and tugging at them until he takes over, bringing you with him while he takes them off, leaving him bare and you in only your little scrap of fabric you call your panties. 

He pulls you in as he sits down on the bed, placing you on his lap, letting you wind your hips, dragging the silky lace of your thong up along his hard length while you lick across his tongue, while you swallow his saliva and feel the ridges of his cock bumping against your clit. At the sound of your whimpers, he picks you up in his arms, lays you down on his bed, and settles between your legs, leaving wet kisses up and down your neck, trailing down to your chest, taking your nipple into his mouth and licking it slowly. Your back arches, the slick of your arousal beginning to seep out into the panties he teases with his fingers, hooking them under the thin straps and slowly pulling at them as his lips trail down between your tits, slowly over your stomach, reaching the very top of your mound before he drags the straps over your thighs to reveal you for him. 

You open your legs and Jim presses into the underside of your thighs, pushing them wider. His eyes focus on the sight of you, spread open in front of him, his tongue lifting to run along his lips. You sit up on your elbows, glossy eyes watching as he leans in, a trail of kisses dotted along the seam of your thigh, until his lips are hovering over your throbbing cunt.

“Jim,” you whisper, sifting your fingers through his hair, moving it from his face.

He looks up and you share a glance, a message sent wordlessly from your eyes to his. A smirk pulls across his lips, reading your mind instantly. He lowers his jaw and his tongue drags a long, soaking stripe up your slit.

Your grip tightens in his hair, head thrown back to the blue sheets. Your throat catches a lewd moan before it has a chance to cut through the air, exposing you both to the guests downstairs. Sorry, you whisper, but he shakes his head. “You don't have to be quiet,” he reassures, leaving his gaze on you as he leans back and gives your clit a few wet licks, kicking up your sensitivity and making you clench. He must be able to tell, because just as you tilt your head back into the pillow while he kisses and licks at the part of you most sensitive and needy for his attention, he pushes two fingers into your pussy, stretching you gently as he curls them. He presses into a spot so tender you can't catch the moans spilling out between your lips, begging for more when you're already so close, having fantasized about this for years – his tongue on your clit and his fingers inside of you, softening you for the inevitable stretch of his cock, so much thicker and longer than you could imagine, big and hard and bound to let you feel him tomorrow.

He begins to suckle, swirling his tongue until you grip his hair and moan that you're close, so close, and he releases you from his mouth, still sliding his fingers slowly in and out, moving to place kisses to the inside of your thigh. You let out a huff, and hear a faint chuckle from between your legs, licking and kissing at your skin, right beside your outer folds, close to where you need him. 

Another wave of arousal crashes through you when he makes contact with your clit again, a wet drag of his tongue making you whimper and pull at his hair harder, trying to keep him right where he is until he lets you come. Jim pulls around your clit, lips sucking and tongue flicking as his fingers pump in and out, winding your orgasm like the tide withdrawing, only to let it crash forward in a flood of pleasure.

Your back arches, breath freezes to nothing in your throat until your climax passes, washing over you in heavy, shuddering ripples. You pant, your chest heaving as you look down at the smile on his face, the evidence of your satisfaction glistening on his lips.

Jim pushes himself up from the mattress, knees planting firm between your open legs, fisting his cock over you. You blink the room back into focus slowly, feeling the bed dip by your ear. He settles on top of you, looking down to guide his cock to your needy and spent sex. His tip presses against your hole, sensitive and soaking, and he glances back up. 

“Jim?”, you whisper, chest heaving when you feel the subtle intrusion at your opening.

“Yeah?”

“I want you inside me, I want you to fuck me.” 

Mhmm, he teases the tip around your entrance, lets the thick head of him slide up to your clit before he glides back down, gently pushing in, a tiny little bit of pressure, not enough to make you wince but groan instead, hating and loving how he teases you. Another push, his tip lodged inside, stretching you open further than you thought possible, while your pussy drools down his shaft, sucking him in and covering him in your wetness. He grunts quietly, not immune to the wet, warm clutch he’s sinking into, inch by inch, while you wrap your hands around his jaw, looking into his bright green eyes, lids hooded, breaking the eye contact to glance down at where he enters you, letting out a breathy moan when you suck him all the way in and he reaches your cervix. He hisses when he retracts, gliding out so slowly, covered in your shiny slick. 

You arch your back when he reaches the end of you again, leaning down onto his elbows so his lips can press into your neck, kissing you like he has all the time in the world, little licks to your skin while he glides out and presses back into you, letting you adjust to his size, making space for himself and soothing you as you’re overwhelmed by him. Your legs come to wrap around his waist, tilting your hips slightly upward to let him reach deeper, moaning his name and incoherent curses, grabbing the back of his neck and his broad shoulders, feeling your clit rub against his pelvis, bringing you closer so slowly you barely notice it happening. 

You lower your arms, slipping your hands under his and lacing your fingers. Your knees bend, resting against his ribcage. With each brush of his hair against your clit, he moves faster, thrusting harder, pushing deeper. Tiny yelps leave your mouth the more he fucks you, the more the bed rocks, the headboard knocking against the wall. Your head turns, moaning delicately into his ear as he sucks on your skin.

“I know,” he whispers against your pulse, “You feel so good, sweetheart. So tight around me.”

“Jim,” you’re whining, gasping for air each time he pushes all the way in. You let go of your grip on him and drape your arms over his shoulders, fingers toying with his hair, slowly dampening with sweat. Each glide of his cock inside you ends with a sweet bite of pain, his tip hammering roughly into the edge of your cunt.

His teeth graze the sensitive skin below your jaw, leaving behind marks you’re silently hoping will still be visible in the morning. His hands travel downward, taking hold of your waist and lifting you up to his body like you weigh nothing at all.

“Here,” he says, slipping out of you, thick white thread dribbling between your pussy and his cock. He motions for you to sit up, beckoning you with a flick of his fingers. “Come here, put your feet on my calves.” You oblige, planting each foot behind his thighs as he kneels. “Now lay down, just relax,” he coos, wrapping both hands around your waist to pull you up into a bridge, letting you dip your shoulder blades onto the sheets. He lifts one hand away from your side and guides his cock back into you, giving a few slow strokes with his palm, pushing gently on your stomach. 

Then his hands grip your hips tightly, he pulls you back onto him and gives you a moment to stabilize before he fucks into you even deeper than before. Your tits slide up and down your chest with every single one of this deep thrusts, and you watch his eyes as they stay glued to your body, his mouth hanging open, panting, grunting, digging his fingers into your flesh, trying to hold back while you squirm and writhe, moaning and whimpering, not giving a fuck who might hear it, trying to keep his name out of your mouth in case someone needs to use the bathroom next door. 

He pounds into you, hitting the softest, most tender spot inside of your body, your head rolls back on his pillow, tiptoeing the line between pain and pleasure, feeling him in your stomach. “I’m gonna come, I’m gonna come, fuck, fuck,” the words are forced out of you just as a warm stream of liquid squirts out of you, drenching his groin and making him groan. Your orgasm is so intense you nearly howl, feeling more and more of your arousal dripping down his shaft and spurting onto his pelvis, soaking the sheets beneath you, getting wet and sticky with your come and his sweat, watching his hair stick to his forehead while he continues to fuck you, needing every last drop of your climax. 

You’re fucking spent, but he won’t relent quite yet, flipping you over and onto all fours, yanking you back by your hips. He enters you from behind and you groan in satisfaction, needing him right there, just like that, feeling your eyes roll to the back of your head. His hand twists in your hair, wrapping it around his palm and tugging at it while he grunts, rough and loud in your ear, nearly drowned out by the lewd smacking of your ass against his hips. 

Your hand dips between your legs, fingers rubbing messy circles around your swollen clit, thinking how many times you’ve dreamt of this exact scenario with your fingers buried inside, bringing yourself to the brink of orgasm by the mere thought of Jim. And now, feeling him, the tug on your hair, the ache between your legs, the hoarse cries jumping from your throat.

“Not gonna last much longer,” Jim grunts, wet slaps cutting between his words, “Fuck, sweetheart, that feel good?”

“Yes, Jim,” you whine, your hand jerking with each meeting of his hips on your ass. Come dribbles down the seam of your thigh as you feel your second high begin to wind, white heat flooding downwards. “So – fucking – good. Ah, I want you to come inside me.”

“You sure?”, he pants, holding on by a thread. 

“Yeah, I – I’m on the pill.” 

Jim pulls you upright by the hair, flush against his stomach, and places his hand over yours to rub your clit together. You lean your head back against his shoulder, body freezing as you come for him again. He groans when you pinch around him, movements becoming sloppy.

“Oh – oh, fuck, I’m – I’m coming, I’m coming,” he moans, lips pushing hard into your neck as he twitches and then stills, and you feel the warm spurts of his come deep inside. The two of you groan, strangled and drawn out, collapsing on the bed with his arms around you and his cock softening inside. You listen to the sounds of the party downstairs, the two of you trying to catch your breaths, and he kisses along the back of your shoulder, brushing his thumb back and forth where it rests over your waist. 

“What are we gonna tell Mark?”, he asks.

You pause for a beat, then turn your head to him, “We’re telling Mark?”

“Yeah, I mean, you’ve wanted it, I’ve wanted it. I don’t want this to be a one time thing, I want it to be more than that, so at some point–”.

“More than what?”, you respond, your heartbeat returning to its heightened state earlier in the night. 

“More than just sex.” 

“Oh.” 

“I’m really into you,” he whispers, “I didn’t know if you felt the same way about me but it seems like you do, so–”. 

You shift around to face him, push his sweat damp locks away from his face and look into his eyes. Shy heat floods your face as you smile at him and nod carefully, biting the inside of your cheek. 

“You wanna go back downstairs?” he asks, fingertips ghosting down your spine before he reaches your thigh and hooks your knee over his leg, “We have Islands in the Stream on the karaoke machine, I know you like that song.” 

“Sure… In a bit.”

[pastordavem]

The Interview

A young man went to seek an important position at a large Landscaping company. He passed the initial interview and was going to meet the director for the final interview. The director saw his resume, it was excellent. And asked,'

"Have you received a scholarship for school?" The boy replied, "No".

'It was your father who paid for your studies? '' Yes.' He replied.

'Where does your father work? ' 'My father is a Farmer' and landscapes for fun.

The Director asked the young man to show him his hands.

The young man showed a pair of hands soft and perfect.

'Have you ever helped your parents at their job? '

'Never, my parents always wanted me to study and read more books. Besides, he can do the job better than me.

The director said:

'I have got a request: When you go home today, go and wash the hands of your father and then come see me tomorrow morning.'

The young man felt his chance to get the job was high.

When he returned to his house he asked his father if he would allow him to wash his hands.

His father felt strange, happy, but with mixed feelings and showed his hands to his son. The young man washed his hands, little by little. It was the first time that he noticed his father's hands were wrinkled and they had so many scars. Some bruises were so painful that his skin shuddered when he touched them.

This was the first time that the young man recognized what it meant for this pair of hands to work every day to be able to pay for his studies. The bruises on the hands were the price that his father payed for his education, his school activities and his future.

After cleaning his father's hands the young man stood in silence and began to tidy and clean up the workshop. That night, father and son talked for a long time.

The next morning, the young man went to the office of the director.

The Director noticed the tears in the eyes of the young man when He asked him,

'Can you tell me what you did and what you learned yesterday at your house?'

The boy replied: 'I washed my father's hands and when I finished I stayed and cleaned his workshop.'

'Now I know what it is to appreciate and recognize that without my parents, I would not be who I am today. By helping my father I now realize how difficult and hard it is to do something on my own. I have come to appreciate the importance and the value in helping my family.

The director said, "This is what I look for in my people. I want to hire someone who can appreciate the help of others, a person who knows the hardship others go through to accomplish things, and a person who realizes that money is not his only goal in life".

'You are hired'.

_________________________________________________________

A child that has been coddled, protected and given everything he or she wants, develops a mentality of "I have the right" and will always put himself or herself first, ignoring the efforts of parents, family and friends. If we are this type of protective parent are we really showing love or are we helping to destroy our children?

You can give your child their own room in a big house, good food, a computer, tablet, cell phone, and a big screen TV, but when you're washing the floor or painting a wall, children need to experience that too.

After eating, have them wash the dishes with their brothers and sisters, let them fold laundry or cook with you, pull weeds or mow the lawn. You are not doing this because you are poor and can't afford help. You are doing this because you love them and want them to understand certain things about life.

Children need to learn to appreciate the amount of effort it takes to do a job right. They need to experience the difficulties in life that people must overcome to be successful and they must learn about failure to be able to succeed.

Children must also learn how to work and play with others and that they will not always win, but they can always work harder to reach their goals. If they've done their best, then they can take pride in all the effort they put forth.

Life is about giving and serving and these qualities are taught in most homes.

***copied from Facebook post

[whatsnew2see]

.

A young man went to seek an important position at a large Landscaping company. He passed the initial interview and was going to meet the director for the final interview. The director saw his resume, it was excellent. And asked,'

"Have you received a scholarship for school?" The boy replied, "No".

'It was your father who paid for your studies? '' Yes.' He replied.

'Where does your father work? ' 'My father is a Farmer' and landscapes for fun.

The Director asked the young man to show him his hands.

The young man showed a pair of hands soft and perfect.

'Have you ever helped your parents at their job? '

'Never, my parents always wanted me to study and read more books. Besides, he can do the job better than me.

The director said:

'I have got a request: When you go home today, go and wash the hands of your father and then come see me tomorrow morning.'

The young man felt his chance to get the job was high.

When he returned to his house he asked his father if he would allow him to wash his hands.

His father felt strange, happy, but with mixed feelings and showed his hands to his son. The young man washed his hands, little by little. It was the first time that he noticed his father's hands were wrinkled and they had so many scars. Some bruises were so painful that his skin shuddered when he touched them.

This was the first time that the young man recognized what it meant for this pair of hands to work every day to be able to pay for his studies. The bruises on the hands were the price that his father payed for his education, his school activities and his future.

After cleaning his father's hands the young man stood in silence and began to tidy and clean up the workshop. That night, father and son talked for a long time.

The next morning, the young man went to the office of the director.

The Director noticed the tears in the eyes of the young man when He asked him,

'Can you tell me what you did and what you learned yesterday at your house?'

The boy replied: 'I washed my father's hands and when I finished I stayed and cleaned his workshop.'

'Now I know what it is to appreciate and recognize that without my parents, I would not be who I am today. By helping my father I now realize how difficult and hard it is to do something on my own. I have come to appreciate the importance and the value in helping my family.

The director said, "This is what I look for in my people. I want to hire someone who can appreciate the help of others, a person who knows the hardship others go through to accomplish things, and a person who realizes that money is not his only goal in life".

'You are hired'.

A child that has been coddled, protected and given everything he or she wants, develops a mentality of "I have the right" and will always put himself or herself first, ignoring the efforts of parents, family and friends. If we are this type of protective parent are we really showing love or are we helping to destroy our children?

You can give your child their own room in a big house, good food, a computer, tablet, cell phone, and a big screen TV, but when you're washing the floor or painting a wall, children need to experience that too.

After eating, have them wash the dishes with their brothers and sisters, let them fold laundry or cook with you, pull weeds or mow the lawn. You are not doing this because you are poor and can't afford help. You are doing this because you love them and want them to understand certain things about life.

Children need to learn to appreciate the amount of effort it takes to do a job right. They need to experience the difficulties in life that people must overcome to be successful and they must learn about failure to be able to succeed.

Children must also learn how to work and play with others and that they will not always win, but they can always work harder to reach their goals. If they've done their best, then they can take pride in all the effort they put forth.

Life is about giving and serving and these qualities are taught in most homes.

[amariaamaris]

Of Changes and Revelations

I got this idea from the other Marvel and TVD crossover that I did, it is going to be (hopefully) very different. I hope it comes out well and that I do it justice... I’m already working on a second part, I felt that this was getting a little to long! Please let me know what you think and if there are any grammar/spelling/punctuation things that need fixing. Constructive criticism is always welcome. This took me forever, there were so many roadblocks and questioning myself on if I actually wanted to write this. Thanks to my sister pushing me and my imagination running wild with promises of what I can do in the future with this... I decided to go through with it... so enjoy!

------------------------------------------------------------------------

After it’s all said it done; after Esther failing in killing her children, Bonnie’s mother being turned to break the link, Abby bailing (again), Klaus forcing Bonnie to break the spell Esther did... The expulsion of magic that resulted inadvertently saved Finn’s life, knocking out the scooby gang in the process (including most everyone in the town). While also setting fire to anything flammable within the radius of the town (leaving only a select few homes and buildings untouched). It’s safe to say all the white oak is gone... along with multiple buildings.... (oops?) The poor trees are all fried, though luckily they have strong bark, so they’ll survive (it also helps that Bonnie helped to heal them).

All of it coalesces and brings Bonnie to locking herself up in her grams house for as long as she pleases with no acknowledgement of the outside world. She had methodically gone through the house and unplugged the internet, tv’s, shut down her phone, and all other electronics. She just wants to be left alone, Bonnie is exhausted; she’s tired of being used, abused, and taken for granted.

She had found a boundary spell in one of the grimoires to keep those with ill or selfish intent off her property and the fu- away from her (especially certain vampires). In the middle of the week Bonnie left her grams house and went to the school. At the beginning of the week she set up this time to test out of high school.

Bonnie made sure to blend in with the crowd to not be spotted by her “friends”; they may have not seen her, but she definitely saw them. She took the test within three and a half class periods and got the hell out of there. Bonnie drove away like a bat out of hell and made it back to her grams house as fast as she possibly could. She had completely moved into her grams house throughout the one after another of the supernatural shit show that she now calls her life (or rather did call her life). Not like her father was ever around for her to bother staying in his house.

The plus side of testing out of high school is that she can go and get whatever she needs without being worried about being ambushed by her “friends” or the Mikaelson's. Bonnie has also decided that she is going to take all the time that she needs to spend on self-love, working with her magic to learn, and embrace it joyfully. She also has been spending time in meditation and speaking with all of her ancestors. For once in her life, Bonnie Shelia Bennett has finally decided to be selfish and damn the consequences.

Little did she know that her new change would go right along with a huge change that will flip her world on its axis and bring up deeply buried memories.

————

Rudy Bennett knew that this day would come, he knew that eventually they would hunt him down. After all, he did abandon his post, he cut off all contact and went rogue. In doing so, also kept his child away from her culture and her people. He knows that if they find out about her and his lack of parenting, that would sign his fate.

Rudy couldn’t hide his shaking hands as he poured himself a drink and promptly chugged what was in his glass. He did decide that he wouldn’t run or hide, he was going to wait for them to come. He just got done pouring his second one when the lights flickered off; causing a shiver of fear to run down his spine, he could also feel sweat on the back of his neck.

When the lights flickered on, there were two Dora Milaje standing on the other side of his desk. Still as stone holding their vibranium spears, with the king and his cousin standing in between them. Both in different black panther suits (armor?), causing Rudy to gulp. Rudy could feel more sweat break out on his skin as he warily stared at his king.

“D’Kadi Dzube, you’ve been missing a long time.” Rudy or rather D’Kadi watched as both the men tapped on their collars and watched as the mask melted away and showed their faces. Rudy could hear his blood rushing to his ears as he felt himself pale a little. “You were once my father’s most trusted war dog. Then one day, you disappeared without a trace. Just a few months ago we found you... we also found some very interesting information. D’Kadi Dzube you have a daughter that you hid from your people. From my understanding you have been neglecting her as well.”

Rudy could hear ringing in his ears and the blood rushing through his body, he could imagine that he looked white as a sheet. Everything was blurring and before he knew it his eyes were rolling and he fell into darkness.

————

Bonnie could feel something coming to the depths of her bones, it would cause her to pause as her hair would stand up on its ends. Which would lead her to looking out the windows, but there was nothing there. It got to the point where Bonnie decided to add an extra warding to the house rather than the property. Evidently to keep anyone away from the structure of the home, while still being able to enter the yard (only if they pass the wards on the property that is).

Bonnie had started a cute little herbal and vegetable/fruit garden in her backyard, along with some landscaping spanning around the whole house. Along with flowers on both sides of the pathway walking up to the house. Bonnie has never before felt this free and happy. That doesn’t change the fact that she still feels a phantom twinge of pain when she thinks of how her friends haven’t even tried to come visit her. Not. A. Single. One.

Hell! Even Klaus showed up! Not that he could get on the property and it’s not like he was checking up on her... but still! Bonnie lets out an annoyed huff and shakes her head as she focuses back on her plants at the front of the house. She tries to work through her agitation; at her friends, the Mikaelson’s, the Salvatore’s, her parents, her grams for not teaching her from the beginning, at herself for not being smarter and wiser, and Bonnie might as well add the world to the list to. 

She very quickly finds herself falling into a flow of taking care of the plants as everything washes away. Bonnie has found that in many instances doing something like this puts her in a meditative trance that helps to center her. Two hours pass with Bonnie working on her plants, when she hears a car drive up and park on the curb.

Bonnie allows herself to slow down in her landscaping work, but doesn’t turn around - even as she hears the car doors open and shut. She can also hear strangely accented voices talking, both male... but she can sense more people with them. Hearing them coming closer makes Bonnie glad that she chose to wear a wide brimmed straw hat that belonged to her grams (she’s rather not have people recognize her before she can tell whether or not they are threats). 

“Excuse me? Are you the daughter of Rudy Bennett and Abby Bennett....” She freezes, but gives no answer. Bonnie can already feel her magic gathering, ready to motus the hell out of all of the people behind her. Receiving no answer, the people behind her exchange looks, “Granddaughter to Shelia Bennett?” Bonnie feels her agitation spike, causing her to rip off her dirty gardening gloves and throw them to the ground.

Bonnie turns around to look at them, noticing two men that look like cousins, two bald women that have what look to be tribal tattoos on their heads, and a random white man wearing clothing far heavy for how warm it is. Bonnie can practically feel her magic crackling at her fingertips and through her hair. “That depends on who is asking and why...?”

One of the cousins move to step forward, but upon seeing the look on her face, thinks better of it. Though, that didn’t stop him from kindly smiling at her, “My name is T’Challa, this is my cousin N’Jadaka, these two women are Okoye and Ayo, and this is James Barnes. I would like to speak to you about your father.”

Bonnie studies all of them and then flicks her eyes back to T’Challa, before she can respond with something biting, she hears whispers upon the wind. She allows herself to slightly tilt her head to listen better. After a few seconds Bonnie focuses back on T’Challa and the people he brought with him. “I’m not interested in talking about the sperm donor that calls himself my father. I could care less what type of underground cultish mafia he got himself into. If he owes you anything make Rudy deal with it, his problem’s aren’t mine to deal with.”

Bonnie quickly makes her way onto the porch of the house - without turning her back on them (she doesn’t have a death wish) - already knowing that whoever these people are, they aren’t going to let her off easily. N’Jadaka, the man with weird bumps all over his extremely musc- no! Bonnie quickly mentally shakes herself as he snickers with a smirk on his face. “I don’t think I have ever heard someone call people from Wakanda a cult or mafia. The little kitten does have a point cousin.” He runs his tongue over his teeth, “She should be wary, she knows nothing about her father’s history. “

“N’Jadaka...” T’Challa gives him a sharp warning look, not noticing Bonnie moving to open the front door to slip inside. “Where do you think you’re going kitten? We said we wanted to talk that’s what you’re going to let us do!” He moves to go onto the porch, but feels like he hit a brick wall, N’Jadaka also gets a nasty zap throughout his entire body. Causing him to hiss slightly in pain as the group takes notice of the wind picking up and hissing whispers upon the wind (not that they could make out what they were saying). They do notice how Bonnie seems to understand exactly what is being said upon her head whipping around to face the road. All of them watched as she ripped off her hat and lightly tossed it onto the porch swing, they heard the sharp angry hiss escape from her as her green eyes darkened.

The group from Wakanda evenly spaced themselves out as they turned upon hearing a car door slam, they all watch as a long blonde haired young woman walked around the car and onto the property. “Bonnie! Where have you been? We have all been trying to get a hold of you, you haven’t been at school, you haven’t been answering your phone or showing up to practice! We’ve been worried! Honestly Bonnie Bennett you better have a good reason for completely cutting all of us out of your life... who are these people?!” Bonnie stares at Caroline for a few seconds realizing that her chest no longer hurts when thinking of her ex-friends. In fact Bonnie realizes with sudden clarity that there isn’t pain when she thinks of her friends, only white hot fiery fury and looking at Caroline only makes her annoyance and fury rise at the audacity that she had to show up to her grams house unannounced at her house, at her sanctuary.

“Who they are is none of your business Caroline, in fact they were just leaving, like you will be. I’m not particularly in the mood to talk to people that ruined my perfectly peaceful day by arriving unannounced.” Turning her attention to the curious onlookers Bonnie continues “I don’t care to talk about Rudy and whatever shit show he’s gotten himself into,” looking to Caroline “and I don’t want to be forced to listen to lies! I’m well aware that none of you have noticed my absence up until a couple days ago. I’m also aware that none of you actually care for me, all of you just see me as some weapon to be used. Well I’m done being your sword and shield. I want all of you the hell off of my grams property. Do whatever you want with Rudy, it’s not my problem and I want nothing to do with it. Caroline you and the rest of those assholes can shove your lies and demands up your asses. I’m not going to be your quick fix to problems you brought on yourselves. Grow the fuck up and deal with them yourself! Now get the fuck off of my property!”

The front door slams viciously behind Bonnie, whose screaming voice still echoed in the air with whispers following it, the group from Wakanda all had their eyebrows almost to their hairlines. While Caroline’s jaw was dropped almost to the ground in shock and hurt. “You should leave Care-o-line, you’re no friend of hers.” N’Jadaka’s voice quickly pulls her out of it and brings up her misplaced righteous fury. “Oh, really, I am her friend. Who the hell are you? From the way it was looking none of you are friends of Bonnie’s! I’m her best friend!! You had to have done something to upset her, she would have never said something like that or treated me that way! All of you are the ones who should leave!”

N’Jadaka moves to step forward, but James puts his hidden vibranium arm in front of him and says only one thing in a harsh warning tone. “Erik...” Causing Erik to suck on his teeth for a second then back down. While T’Challa steps forward with his hands up in the universal sign of peace. “Miss...” Caroline huffs out her answer to his silent question, “Caroline Forbes!” He immediately gives a soft smile, “Miss Forbes, I believe all of us need to leave Bonnie alone for the time being. If it makes you feel better we will get into our car first, but we will only be leaving after you drive away. She is important to our people and I will not risk something happening.” Caroline works her jaw as the gogs in her brain slowly turn, her eyes sharpen for a few seconds, but she quickly gives in and slowly, dejectedly nods.

None of them notice the whispers on the wind that one small young Bennett witch listens too as they all drive away, with a contemplating look in her eyes.

————

The next day has Bonnie working in the backyard harvesting the herbs, vegetables, and fruits that she needs. Bonnie gives absolutely no reaction to N’Jadaka’s presence as he walks around the back of the house. “You know it’s seen as extremely rude to not only invite yourself to someone’s house, especially not knocking on the front door.” She has to hide her slight smile upon hearing him huff out a laugh, “I’d love to knock on your front door kitten, the only problem is... I couldn’t seem to get on the first step.” Bonnie can sense the question in his words, but chooses to ignore it and continue her work. She can feel him watching her and gets quickly fed up witch a harsh huff Bonnie stops what she is doing, stands up, and turns to face him.

She has to give herself a few seconds to get accustomed to the height difference between the two of them, to put it simply... he dwarfs her. Not only in height, but in sheer muscle mass, she averts her eyes to try and hide the affect he’s having on her. Bonnie decides to chalk it up to the fact that she hasn’t had any direct human contact for a while. “Look N’Jadaka...” “Erik” His interruption causes her to blink, “What?” Erik let’s out a quiet huff while a smirk plays along his lips. “My colonizer name kitten, is Erik. I’d rather go by it than N’Jadaka... has a lot more pride in it than my other name does.”

Bonnie quietly mouths colonizer with a confused look, but decides that they can come back to that later. “Fine! Erik... just...” Bonnie let’s out breath and frowns as her eyes play across the plains of his face and the outdoors. “I don’t know why... but my ancestors like you and they say that I can trust you. Now I’m going to do something that I never do... I’m going to trust my ancestors.” She allows herself to walk up to him and look him directly in the eyes “and if you ever... and I mean ever break that trust. I will personally find a way to kill you, slowly, painfully, and only when your begging for mercy will I kill you... got it?” While she was talking her finger was poking him in the chest to help emphasize her words with a sickly sweet smile upon her face.

Erik gives a slow smile knowing that he shouldn’t find himself turned on by her threat, but he is. He allows himself to carefully grab the hand she was poking him with and holds onto it. Erik chooses to ignore the quiet gasp that escapes her lips... for the moment “You got it kitten, would you like me to explain what you were very unwilling to talk about yesterday with my cousin?” He watches completely fascinated as her eyelashes shadow her eyes while she thinks it over, when she looks up and focuses back on him, she gives a hesitant nod. “Okay, but your helping me with my garden... if we have to talk about something that I would rather never have to think about again, your going to be useful and help.” Her words pull a sharp laugh out of Erik, as he grins and gives a nod in acceptance.

Once she quickly shows him what do to and what to look for, they start working. As they work he explains everything to her, everything hidden from her, everything that her father has done... everything. It completely shatters her, it obliterates everything she thought she knew about her father and his side of the family, everything she thought she knew and understood about herself; it sends her completely into orbit. She doesn’t even realize that she is crying, nor does she realize that she is raging at Erik and upon his body. Her fists swinging to hit his chest as her magic angrily swirls around them. Bonnie feels as though she is shattered into a trillion shimmering atoms being carried away upon the wind. She can’t tell if she will ever find herself... how can she? Bonnie doesn’t think that she can gather the exploded pieces... how can she find them? They have scattered to the wind getting caught in the trees, falling to the streams of water to be carried and caught elsewhere. Bonnie can’t even feel Erik tightly holding her as he somehow carries her inside of her grans house. And eventually, much later into the night, he helps to pull her back together, but for now. He try’s to help hold together what little is left of Bonnie Shelia Bennett.

As her true name echoes through her entire being...

Ahnika...

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I hope you enjoyed it, please let me know what you think. The second part is on its way! Peace, love, and joy!

[translations-by-aiimee]

Mistakenly Saving the Villain - Chapter 3

Original Title: 论救错反派的下场

Genres: Drama, Romance, Xianxia, Yaoi

TW for this chapter: Mentions of slave trafficking

This translation is based on multiple MTLs and my own limited knowledge of Chinese characters. If I have made any egregious mistakes, please let me know.

Chapter 3 - Born Without Tears

The red-dressed beauty lightly opened his vermilion lips and blew into the jade flute. The flute sound was full of lingering affection, softly touching his heart, as if he was inviting all listeners to join the red curtain and share the scenery together.

Song Qingshi's mother was an internationally renowned pianist. Because of her influence, music had become Song Qingshi's only hobby outside of school. In the last days of Song Qingshi's life, he had lost all body functions, but his consciousness was extremely clear.

His mother invested heavily in installing top-notch audio equipment in his room to play music everyday. She also asked top musicians in various fields to give him a small concert every day.

Music rescued him from the brink of despair and soothed his heart. During this special time, Song Qingshi was particularly sensitive to the emotions in music. He could hear the player's tenderness in the passionate piano music, and he could also find hidden encouragement in the sad and solemn guzheng music. . .

Now, he heard the familiar struggle and despair in the lingering and affectionate sound of the flute.

Song Qingshi finally raised his head, staring at the brilliant phoenix in a daze. He could no longer look away.

Jin FeiRen found out that Song Qing finally became interested in one of the beauties, and he was overjoyed: "Song Xianzun is interested in this slave? His name is Yue Wuhuan, naturally charming, a rare wood single-spirit root. That means he's much more resistant when tossing him around in bed. The more you rough him up, the more unhinged he comes. Those who have tried it have never failed to boast about it. Do you want to taste him first?"

Song Qingshi's ears were reddened by his explicit recommendation. He quickly turned his eyes away, and said dumbly: "No need."

"Medicine Master Xianzun is clean and does not engage in those activities. If you don't love these things, don't force him, friend." LingBao Xianzun came over, pointing to Yue Wuhuan and exclaimed, "If I remember, was this the best product sold by Xie Que? This immortal world is still the best place for him to raise beautiful people; one is more tasteful than the last. Alas, I have a friend who is his good friend, and all kinds of better goods will be sold to you first."

Jin FeiRen waved his hand and said, "You flatter me. What he really has a good relationship with are thirty hu of mermaid pearls."

LingBao Xianzun laughed: "If all friendships in the world could be created with money, my friend would be surrounded by the most affectionate people in the world. Come, come, let me have three cups with my friend and celebrate the wind and moon together.

Jin FeiRen also laughed, and ordered the young man in his arms to fill a glass of wine and drink with LingBao Xianzun.

LingBao Xianzun had already drunk a lot. He was slightly drunk. He leaned against the table and listened to the flute. He exclaimed: "I remember that when this beauty first entered this place, he was reluctant to accompany guests, even under the control of Acacia Seal. It was very interesting to see, but now he has become so promiscuous, and his flavour has changed. You have great methods, my friend."

Jin FeiRen shook his head: "It's a pity that this beauty doesn't cry no matter how rough you toss him around. He was born without tears, and because of that, some of his appeal has been lost."

Song Qingshi heard the professional question and couldn't help answering: "Being born without tears may be a problem with the lacrimal secretion system."

Jin Fei was dumbfounded for a moment. He appreciated his friendship with Song Qingshi, but he couldn't keep up with his medical obsession. He had to laugh awkwardly and switch off the topic: "Don't look at this beauty's promiscuity deceive you. In the mortal world, he was also a noble and respectable prince. When he was eight years old, Xie Que found that he had excellent aptitude when he was looking for beauties in the mortal world, so he showed his supernatural powers and presented the emperor with a pill for prolonging life. The old emperor was so happy that he happily gave his son to the immortal leader. Xie Que is also an ingenious person. He will seriously accept mortals with spiritual roots as disciples, and coax them to trust him. Then he uses that trust to trick them to sign the spiritual contract of voluntary slavery. He then teaches them superficial techniques, and, when they appear to be at their peak, brands them with the Acacia Seal. He always gets them when the colour is at the best time for picking, and then sells them to the brothels to serve in their rooms.

Although everyone knew he was taking advantage of those loopholes, they all turned a blind eye and eventually accepted this method of slave trafficking."

The Yanshou Pill can only be taken once to extend someone's life to reach 100 years old.

Cultivators can live at least three hundred years so long as they build a good foundation base. They don't need this tasteless kind of thing at all. Most of them are bought for their mortal servants. The price is very cheap, only worth two low-grade spirit stones. Such huge profits have continued to promote the slave trade.

There is an endless stream of cultivators in the trade, but none of them are well-versed as Xie Que.

Song Qingshi was surprised to find in his memory that the original body had seen Xie Que before.

That spring, the original body was studying a new way to create pills behind closed doors. Xie Que came to seek medical treatment with a comatose child. The child was a mortal, about eleven or twelve years old, with a rare pure yang physique and a wood spiritual root. Moreover, when he reached the third rank, his talents were different, and he was even better than some of the wasted descendants of various immortal families. Xie Que said that it was his new apprentice who had recruited more than three years ago. When he went to the mountains to practice, he was bitten by a Devil Mask Snake. Devil Mask Snakes are not extremely poisonous, but they will turn the faces of the poisoned person different colours, just like they were wearing a mask.

The original body typically didn't treat mortals, but Xie cried out in tears, saying that this was his most important apprentice, and he was willing to pay a high price to save him. The original body was in a good mood at the time, and was annoyed by his repeated crying. The Devil Mask Snake poison was also easy to detoxify. He finally relented and ordered a servant to give him two detoxification pills and ordered Xie Que not to cry again.

Xie Que stayed beside the apprentice’s bed and took care of him for three days. The apprentice woke up from a coma, his body no longer in a serious condition, but it took time for the ghost marks on his face to disappear. They stayed in the valley for half a month, and waited until his apprentice's face fully recovered.

During that time, the peach blossoms in the medicine garden bloomed just right, like red brocade all over the sky. When the original body encounters a problem with his alchemy, he often sits in a high place and looks at the peach blossoms and thinks. Every time, the original body would see a small figure under the peach blossom practicing swordsmanship. He practiced in the morning, at noon, and at night, as if it had become a landscape of symbiosis with the peach blossoms.

Mortals trying to cultivate immortality are like a fish leaping over a dragon's gate. The path comes with many difficulties and dangers, and there are few successful ones.

Xie Que was always by his side, with a worried expression on his face. He was either afraid that he would drop his sword or that he would become exhausted. The two quarreled several times. On a whim, the original's body and mind let out a spiritual thought to investigate. He heard the child say to Xie Que: "Master, although mortals are not as good as immortals, my father taught me to reward my diligence, and diligence can make up for my weaknesses. So I have to work harder and never waste time."

"What you said makes sense," Xie Que tried to persuade him with a bitter face. "Your injury has not healed. I'm afraid you might hurt your body. And. . . why do you have to practice sword? Entertaining cultivation, wouldn’t it be better for you to learn some flute, piano or something?"

"Master taught me to use music to cultivate Taoism is very good," the child scratched his head embarrassedly. "But I like swords, I want to be like Mo Yuan Jianzun. Master, rest assured, I know all the songs you taught me. I practiced better than my senior brothers and sisters, and I definitely don't put off practice."

Xie Que had no choice but to say: "I will find you the right ice silk gloves later. You must wear them when you practice swords. You must soak your hands with lotion at night to make your hands soft. This will prevent calluses, so you won't miss the subsequent practice."

The child cheered, excitedly: "Master, you are so kind."

"Don't get hurt," Xie Que lightly knocked on his forehead and complained. "You naughty devil. Your master is terrified. From now on, stay in the sects when you practice, and you are not allowed to go to the back mountains. Take breaks as well to avoid ruining your eyes."

The child accepted all these conditions.

Xie Que leaned over, rubbed his head gently, and sighed: "You don't know how much Master values you. . ."

"I know." The child raised his head and said in a serious voice: "I know that the immortal world looks down on mortals that cultivate immortality, and even looks down on the master who only accepts mortals as disciples. I don't want to shame my master, so I must cultivate a Golden Core to prove to everyone that Master’s vision is right!"

Xie Que looked at his face silently, his eyes distant and difficult to distinguish.

The child pulled Xie Que's sleeves, turned his eyes, and said embarrassedly: "Wuhuan likes Master the most!"

Xie Que stretched out his fingertips, stroked the child's colorful face, looked carefully, and finally stopped reluctantly on the small red mole under his left eye, which was dazzlingly beautiful. He was silent for a long time, showing a very kind smile: "Master also likes you the most."

. . .

[thebrotherssalvatore321]

Keeping Secrets Ch. 38

Keeping Secrets Masterlist

Pairing: See previous chapters. Warnings: None that I can think of for this chapter.

“So you and Klaus?” Bonnie asked from where she and Caroline sat at a table in the grill.

“It’s nothing serious, but yeah, me and Klaus.” Katie shrugged then took a drink of her coffee. “So what’s the cover story for where I’ve been?”

“You went to stay with your aunt again.” Caroline told her.

“Right, the imaginary aunt.” Katie nodded.

“Caroline compelled you into the school districts homeschooling program before my dad had put vervain in the town’s water supply.” Bonnie told her. “We’ve been tag teaming your work for you.”

Katie couldn’t help but smile. “You guys are awesome.”

“We kind of slacked off when we thought you were going to die, though, so you have a little catching up to do.” Caroline informed her, but Katie waved her off. “I also ordered your cap and gown.”

“I seriously don’t know how to thank you guys.” Katie said as she looked down at her coffee.

“Well you can start by sticking around and helping us keep Elena from eating anyone.” Bonnie said then took a drink of her coffee.

“Okie dokie.” She told them with a nod.

“So are you planning on coming back to school?” Bonnie asked.

“Yeah your spot is still open on the cheer squad if you want it.” Caroline added.

“I was thinking about homeschooling before everything happened. I’ll stick with it.” Katie said with a shrug.

“But you’ll still come to prom and graduation right?” Caroline asked with wide eyes.

“Definitely. Klaus already picked me out a dress from his creepy trophy case of family collectables. It’s vintage and very glamorous.” Katie answered, making Caroline smile.

“So we’re seriously not going to talk about the fact that you called whatever is going on with you and Klaus nothing serious?” Bonnie asked circling back to the topic Katie had purposely changed the subject from. "When I told him you were dying he started crying and threatened to rip Elijah's spine out for what he had done to you. That's not 'nothing serious'."

"He did?" Katie asked and Bonnie nodded. "Maybe it's heading toward serious, but right now I just want to focus on getting back up on my feet. Part of that is going to be figuring out how to balance my life, you know figuring out how to be with him and not lose you guys like I did before." Katie shrugged. "I know he's the 'bad guy', but he was there for me when I had no one an-"

"You don't have to explain it to us." Caroline interrupted.

"Yeah, we won't make you choose. If he's good to you then he's okay in our book." Bonnie added. "He is good to you, right?"

Katie smiled and bit her lip, "Yeah."

“So, how is he?” Caroline asked with a devious smile and a wiggle of her brows in an attempt to lighten the mood.

“Of course you'd ask that, Caroline.” Bonnie laughed.

“Oh come on, even you have to wonder what the bad boys are like in bed.” Caroline told her with an eye roll then looked back at Katie. “So…spill.”

Katie laughed and shook her head. “I’m not going to answer that in the middle of the grill where anyone could overhear.” She answered and jerked her head at Damon, sitting at the bar with a glass of bourbon in his hand and one sitting at the empty stool next to him for the memory of Alaric.

“Right.” Caroline said with a disappointed nod. “But he was good right?”

Katie sighed and let her head fall forward. “She’s not going to stop until you answer her.” Bonnie pointed out.

“Yes, he is really, really, good.” Katie answered reluctantly. “There, happy?”

“No, but it will do until I can get better detail.” Caroline said with a smile. Katie let her believe she would get those details eventually.

~*That Night*~

“So where are we going?” Katie asked Klaus who sat in the armchair in her room watching her look through her wardrobe in just a black lace strapless bra and matching boy shorts panties. Her auburn waves were twisted up into a bun that was secured with a wooden hairstick that had a Celtic knot on the end.

He was wearing a suit and no tie, so she knew she should wear something dressy, but how dressy she didn’t know. “It wouldn’t be a surprise if I told you would it?” he asked and she turned to look at him.

“Something you should know about me…I don’t like surprises.” She told him with a tight smile. “Plus, if you don’t tell me where we’re going I won’t know what to wear.”

He walked over and pulled a little black dress and black lace Louboutin heels out of her wardrobe and set them on the bed. “Problem solved.” She looked at him and took a deep breath. “What, Love?”

“Please tell me where we’re going?” she asked again.

“You’re just going to have to trust me.” he told her as he watched her put on the dress then turn her back to him and he zipped it for her. She put on the heels then walked over to her vanity, opened the jewelry box and grabbed a random necklace then turned around to find him standing right behind her. “Do you trust me?”

She took a deep breath and let it out. Just because she had come back from the dead and managed to get a clean start didn’t mean she trusted easily again, but with him…she was cautiously doing so. “Yes.”

“Good. Are you ready?” he held his arm out for her and she looped hers through it.

TVDTVDTVD

“An art exhibit.” She said with a smile as they walked into the building. “I should have known. I did ask for an art lesson.” She told him as they walked around one of the dividers that paintings hung on.

“This isn’t the lesson, just something I wanted to do with you.” he told her as they walked around looking at the painting’s, sculptures and photos. “See anything that speaks to you?” he was paying more attention to her than the art.

“That one.” She pointed to a landscape painting of a grassy clearing over hung by tree limbs. Blue, purple, orange and pink flowers colored the ground. A waterfall could be seen off in the distance.

“I didn’t take you for the landscape type.” He told her, taking in how her eyes concentrated on the painting.

“It reminds me of home.” She told him and for a second he was confused, then he remembered that she lived in Ireland in the 1800’s. “There was a waterfall behind my parent’s house. My sister and I would run there to get away from Father. He had an irrational fear of water so we knew we’d be safer there, behind the waterfall, at least until night came and we had to go home.”

“Do you want it?” he asked.

She looked away from the painting to see him standing behind her with his hands tucked behind his back. “Is it for sale?”

“Anything is for sale if the price is high enough.” He told her with a devious smile.

She rolled her eyes and gave him a smile. “I want it if the artist is willing to part with it.” she told him pointedly. He gave her a big smile and walked off to find the artist.

When he got done procuring the painting from the more than willing artist and arranging for it to be delivered to the mansion he found Katie staring at a photograph in thought, her fingers fiddling with the necklace that rested on her chest. He stood back looking at her distant eyes that took in thick clear pieces of broken glass spread out over black sand, a dark cloudy sky in the background. “Why does that fascinate you so?” he asked, making her jump, not realizing he had found her.

She looked back at the photo. “I know it’s just broken glass, but…for some reason it makes me feel lost. Like I don’t know who I am and I don’t know what to do about it.” she told him then took a deep breath and looked at him. “So was the artist willing to sell?”

“Yes. Your painting will be delivered to the mansion tomorrow.” He told her with a smile.

“Did you see anything you liked?” she asked.

“Yes, but I believe she is already mine.” He told her, making her smile and blush a little. “Are you ready for dinner?” he held his arm out for her and she took it.

TVDTVDTVD

He brought her to a five star restaurant and got them an intimate table in the corner. “So is medical school still something you wish to pursue?” he asked then took a bite of his stake.

“I don’t know.” She paused to take a bite of her side salad. “I only ever wanted to be a doctor because I wanted to prove to everyone in Mystic Falls that I could make something of myself and be more than the slutty piece of trash they labeled me as.”

“And now?” he asked curiously.

“Now I just want to make it to graduation in one piece.” She answered honestly. “If I still feel like going to college for something by the time summer is over then I’ll cross that bridge when I come to it.”

“We haven’t discussed the cure.” He said, making her tilt her head.

“Yes we have. There’s a cure… everyone but Rebekah agrees Elena should have it.” she stated.

“But would you take it if I got it for you?” he asked, making her stop eating and think.

She had once told Damon that she didn’t want to be a vampire because she didn’t want to watch her friends grow up, start families and move on without her. That she wanted a husband and a family, but so much had changed since then. When she said that, she didn’t remember that she’d already had that life. Now she just wanted to have fun and live freely for a little while. “Do you think I should take it?”

“I don’t want to influence your decision.” He told her with a tilt of his head.

“Have you forgotten who you’re talking to?” she asked with a playful smile. “I know my answer. I just want to know if you would want me to take it.” She told him then took a bite of her salad.

“If I’m being selfish, no, I don’t want you to take it.” he answered. “But I also want you to get all the things you want out of life and if a human man and a human family is what you want then I wouldn’t stop you.” she smiled at him then looked down and played with her salad with her fork. “So are you going to answer me?”

“I don’t want it. Even if there were multiple doses, I wouldn’t take it.” he gave her a look that said he didn’t believe her. “I’ve had a human man and a human family…the human life. Now I’ve been reincarnated and come back from a shattered soul, I didn’t go through all of that just to turn into a pumpkin again.”

Klaus gave her a smile. “I’m glad to hear that.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a black velvet box with a red bow tied around it. “I know you’ve already received two necklaces from previous suitors and I did not want to be cliché, but I noticed you don’t wear bracelets or earrings often. You also reach for your neck when you’re thinking about something. So…” he placed the box on the table and slid it to her. She picked it up, slid the ribbon off and popped the lid open to see a silver pendant made to look like a wax seal stamped with a phoenix, it’s wings spread as it soared up, a dazzling trillion cut diamond grasped in its talons. It hung off a thin silver Singapore chain. “Happy birthday, Little Phoenix.”

This necklace felt different than the others she’d received. It wasn’t meant to represent them as a couple or protect her like Damon’s had been, it wasn’t a show of how he would love her forever like Elijah’s had been. It was simply something he thought represented her as a person and if she was being honest, she kind of felt as if she had risen from the ashes of her old life. All she had to do now was spread her wings and soar. After a few minutes she heard him clear his throat and when she looked up she realized then that her eyes had watered.

After clearing her throat and blinking back the tears she managed to say, “It’s perfect. Thank you.” As she took it out of the box he got up from the table and took the necklace she was wearing off, put it on the table then took his necklace from her and put it around her neck. When he moved around her to sit back down she caught the front of his jacket and pulled him down for a kiss. When it broke he sat back down and Katie looked around to see people jerk their eyes back down to their plates. “People are staring at us.” she told him with a smile.

“They probably think I’m some kind predator…taking advantage of my sweet, beautiful and innocent date.” he told her then smiled.

“Or that you’re simply too old for me.” She said as she picked up her wine glass and took a drink. “Mmm, no, I got it…” she told him with a smile as she pointed at him still holding her glass in her hand, “They think you’re my sugar daddy.” His jaw dropped and he smiled. “Older guy plying a young girl with a fancy dinner, wine, jewelry…” She finished off her wine then sat her glass down. “So if anything, I’m praying on you mister rich, charming and devilishly handsome.” He laughed making her smile.

TVDTVDTVD

Klaus opened her car door for her then offered her his arm. “You know I remember a time, not long ago, when you refused to take my arm when I offered.” He thought out loud as she slid her arm through his.

“Do you want to go back to that?” she asked with a look up at him through her lashes as they headed to the mansion.

“No, I much prefer to have you willingly at my side as opposed to turning your nose up at me.” he told her as they walked into the house.

“Oh, I can still turn my nose up at you from your side.” she told him with a smile that let him know she was messing with him. “So I have a question.” She stated as they walked into the parlor and she tossed her clutch onto the coffee table.

“I may have an answer.” He replied as he watched her sit down on the couch.

“Tonight was a date right?” she asked as she pulled off the thousand dollar heels. He hummed a positive answer. “So…we're dating?”

He walked over and sat down next to her and pulled his leg up on the couch to face her. “If that is what you want.”

His answer caused a fleeting smile to grace her lips as she looked down and turned to face him, folding her legs modestly to the side in the short dress. “You always make everything about me. You give me whatever I want and if I’m being honest I love how much you dote on me.” her words made a small smile pull at the corners of his lips. “When we first started this I made my intentions clear and you went along with it. Even though I got the feeling that there was something you weren’t saying, I didn’t ask because I was happy and I didn’t want to possibly ruin it. It kind of felt like I was using you and you were letting me, but I don’t want to be selfish anymore. Not with you. So I have to ask, what do you want?”

“What did you think I would have to say that would ruin your happiness?” he asked and her eyes fell to look at her knees.

“Three little words that can do more damage than a nuclear bomb.” She answered then looked back up at him.

“I know you’re not ready for that. You’ve loved too hard too fast and I understand why you are unable to love again so soon.” He told her then grabbed her hand in his. “But you asked me what I want. So I will tell you.” he brushed the backs of his fingers down her cheek. “You gave me an easy out and told me that you wouldn’t tie me down if I wanted Caroline. You didn’t let me say that I never wanted her. She was a distraction while you were with Elijah because I didn’t think I could have you.” Even though she had told herself she was over feeling like she came in second to one friend or the other, his words gave her a sense of pride. No one had ever chosen her over Caroline or Elena. Even Damon had chosen Caroline at first. “Elijah and Damon are your first loves. When you are ready, I want to be your last.” When a tear slipped down her cheek he brushed it away. “I only want you and I want you to only want me, but that does not mean I want to tie you down. You,” he looked down at her necklace then back into her eyes, “Little Phoenix, have risen from the ashes once only to have your wings clipped by the men in your life. You’ve recently risen again and I will not let anyone, myself included, keep you from making the sky yours.”

He wanted to be exclusive yet still let her make her own decisions and be herself. He also wasn’t going to rush her when it came to confessing their love for one another. It made a smile spread over her lips, but she couldn’t find the words to tell him how much he and what he’d just said meant to her. Since she couldn’t find words, she decided to let her actions speak and grabbed his suit jacket and pulled him down for a kiss, pouring her every emotion into it. As they kissed he pulled her into his lap, holding her black cotton covered sides. When the kiss broke she looked him in the eyes then moved her lips close to his ear and whispered, “I only want you, Big Bad Wolf.” She kissed down his jaw line and pecked him on the lips before she looked him in the eyes again. “I’m yours.”

It wasn’t a proclamation of love, but it was one step closer. “And I’m yours.” his hands slid up her back, pulling her closer into him as he started kissing her neck, pulling a sigh from her lips. While his lips placed loving kisses up and down her neck and shoulders, her hands worked on the buttons of the black dress shirt he wore under his suit jacket.

“You look good in a suit, by the way.” She told him as he pulled away from her neck and slid his hands down to grip her thighs.

“You have a thing for guys in suits don’t you?” he asked with lust in his eyes.

“No. I said you look good, not that it’s my favorite look on you.” she corrected him. “If I have a thing for anything it’s men with british accents who are way too old for me.”

“So what is your favorite look on me?” he asked as he slipped his hands up the skirt of her dress.

“Your everyday look.” She answered. “Jeans, a belt and a Henley shirt, preferably a short sleeved one so I can see your arms, but long sleeved is just as sexy.” She pushed his shirt and jacket down his arms.

“You like my arms?” he asked as he pulled them out of the sleeves and wrapped them around her waist.

“Yep, and I like your lips almost as much as your hands.” She pecked him on his lips. “And I like this.” She slipped her hands down his chest and used her pointer fingers to trace the v of muscles that led down into his pants and hooked her fingers under his belt. “There’s not a single part of your body that doesn’t turn me on. I even find your feet attractive which is weird because feet usually gross me out.” She told him with a smile before her eyes turned admiring. “You’re perfect,” she kissed him on the lips, the cheek, “strong,” the ear, “romantic,” a whisper of a laugh left his lips as she kissed his neck, “sweet,” she kissed across his chest, “Sexy,” then cupped one side of his neck in her hand as she kissed up to the other side of his neck, “protective without crossing the line into controlling,” she kissed to his ear, “and really turned on right now.” she whispered then bit his earlobe as she rocked her hips against him.

“It’s no wonder when my gorgeous girlfriend is showering me with affection.” He told her as he slid his hands up her thighs to grab her butt. Klaus calling her his girlfriend made her heart skip and beat and butterflies to kick up in the pit of her stomach. She pulled back and looked him in the eyes with a smile. He smiled back and pulled her into him for a soft kiss that slowly deepened.

Their hands explored each other as they made out. After a while he pulled the hair stick out of her hair letting it spin out of the neat bun she’d twisted it into to fall around her shoulders. He slid his fingers through it and held the back of her head as his other hand grabbed the zipper of her dress and slowly pulled it down. His hands on her bare back pulled a sigh from her as he slid them up, grabbed the straps of the dress and pulled them down her arms revealing the black lace strapless bra she wore underneath.

With the dress out of the way he kissed down her neck and chest to the valley of her breasts. As he did she slipped her fingers through his hair and let her head fall back with a sigh. Not in the mood to bother with the hooks, Klaus grabbed the cups of her bra and pulled, ripping it in the middle then tossed it to the side. A gasp left her lips when he closed his mouth around her nipple. The other breast got cupped in his hand, kneading it before he gave it a pinch pulling a moan from her. His hand replaced his lips as he pulled back and looked into her lust clouded eyes.

Her hands slid down his chest to his belt and started unbuckling it, not breaking eye contact with him as she unbuttoned and unzipped his jeans then slid off of the couch and pulled them off of him, catching him in her mouth as soon as he sprang free from the tight confinements of his boxers. A moan left his lips as he let his head fall back onto the couch and put his hand on the back of her head, gently fisting her hair in his hand.

She was having fun finding new ways to pull sighs and grunts of pleasure from him when she felt him give her hair a tug signaling her to stop. “You keep that up and I won’t last much longer.” He told her in a huff and she pulled her head up with a pop causing his body to twitch and a smile to form on her lips.

“I’ll take that as a compliment.” She stood up and pulled her dress that had gotten bunched up around her waist, over her head while he pulled her red lace cheeky panties down. She was going to straddle him again, but he grabbed her hips, turned her around and pulled her back to sit in his lap and lean back against him. His lips placed kisses and nibbles along her neck while one hand found her breast and the other slid slowly and teasingly down her stomach over her inner thigh pushing her leg to the side before he finally dipped into her core. “Klaus.” Her back arched as one hand grabbed his over her beast and the other reached back and imbedded itself into his hair.

“You like that?” he asked, his voice deep and low in her ear.

“I love it.” she replied, her voice just the opposite as she writhed against him. A laugh left his perfect lips before he growled and bit her neck not breaking the skin. He knew she was getting close. So after a few more seconds he pulled his hand away, offering her his slick fingers. She grabbed his wrist and sucked them into her mouth, tasting herself. He hummed in her ear, “Such a naughty girl.” She just laughed and slid his clean fingers out of her mouth and put his hand on her chest.

She shifted to the side and pulled his lips to hers. As they kissed she slid her hand down and started touching herself. When he realized what she was doing he grabbed her wrist, pulled her hand away and took her fingers into his mouth. She bit her lip as she watched her fingers slip from his mouth. Unable to handle anymore foreplay he grabbed her hips, lined her up with him and slowly lowered her down on him.

She bit her lip and let her head fall back onto his shoulder. He started kissing her neck as he rocked into her. One of his hands played with her breast while the other gripped her outer thigh. When he noticed one of her hands making its way down he grabbed it. “No cheating, Sweetheart.” He threaded his fingers through hers and held her hand against his thigh to keep her from touching herself as he rocked into her. After a few minutes he moved her around to straddle him and she instantly caught his lips with hers. A few minutes later he was getting close and he could tell she was too. This time neither of them said a word as they looked into each other’s eyes and let pure ecstasy consume them.

As they came down from their high, he absentmindedly caressed her back and she kissed his neck and held his sides. “I think I’ve already said it once today, but just in case I haven’t, I’m going to say it again. You’re…amazing.”

“Best you’ve ever had?” he asked, being cocky.

“Definitely top five.” She answered as she pulled back and gave him a smirk. He rolled his eyes knowing she’d only ever been with five different men. “The answer to that question will only do one of two things, give you a big head or hurt your feelings. I’m not looking to do either.”

“At least tell me I’m better than Tyler.” He told her as he wrapped his arms around her and bit her neck playfully.

“You are definitely better than Tyler.” She laughed. “But in his defense we were both still human. Now that he’s a hotshot hybrid I’m sure he’s a lot better.”

“Easy.” He told her in a warning tone.

She laughed. “Jealous?” she asked with an innocent tone.

“Possibly.” He answered and she leaned her head back to look at him.

“You are aware that I’m talking about Tyler Lockwood, right? The douchebag wolf boy turned hybrid that tried to kill you?” she asked.

“The same douchebag that was going to ask you to marry him?” he asked, making her realize that he’d watched the dvd.

“Yeah, but he didn’t.” she turned around and sat on the opposite end of the couch, her legs outstretched on top of his. “Besides, I would’ve said no anyway.”

“Would you have?” he asked, doubting her.

“Yeah, I mean I loved him and I liked being with him, but… my heart wasn’t fully in it and because of that I wasn’t a good girlfriend to him.” she admitted as she picked up his foot and started massaging it.

“How so?” he asked curiously, clearly liking her messaging his foot even though feet grossed her out.

“The background photo of me and Damon kissing that you saw on my phone…” she said and he nodded remembering it all too well. “That was taken while Tyler and I were still together. Then after I turned and before I broke with him I slept with Damon.” She dropped his foot and grabbed the other one. “So I guess you should keep in mind that I have a history of being unfaithful.”

“I should also keep in mind that you cheated on Tyler because you weren’t completely happy with him.” he told her as he grabbed her foot and kissed her big toe before he started massaging it. “I on the other hand know how to make, and keep, you happy.”

“Oh yeah?” she asked with a laugh and took her foot out of his talented hand then leaned forward on her hands and knees to be face to face with him. “What makes you so sure, Big Bad Wolf?” she pecked him on the lips.

“Because I’ve been at it for the past six months and you’re still here.” He pointed out.

“Huh.” He huffed realizing he was right. “Feels more like three months to me, but I see what you’re saying nonetheless.” She pecked him on the lips then stood from the couch and picked up her clothes. When she picked up her bra remembering that he broke it she sighed. “Can you do me a favor and not destroy my bras?” she asked. “It’s hard to find bras that are pretty and actually hold me up.” He gave her a smart ass solute and a closed lipped smile and she threw the bra at him making him laugh.

TVDTVDTVD

Katie woke up to find that she wasn’t tucked into Klaus’s chest like she usually was and his side of his bed was empty. “Klaus?” she groaned as she sat up and looked around, her eyes landed on a note on the bedside table and she picked it up. “I had to leave for a bit. You looked so peaceful I did not want to wake you. –Klaus.” She read his pretty cursive words aloud.

After tucking the note away in her room for safe keeping she threw on a robe and headed down to the kitchen. She was sitting at the bar sipping on a cup of coffee when she heard Klaus come in. “Good morning.” He told her as he turned her around in the barstool then placed his hands on the bar behind her.

“Good morning.” She told him and kissed him back when he pecked her on the lips. “Where’d you go?”

“A wolf friend of Tyler’s needed rescuing. She has information about Katerina that I need. So I helped her, she will be staying here until Katerina’s lackeys are no longer after her or I have the information I need. Whichever comes first.”

“Okay then.” She told him as she wrapped her legs around his.

“You’re not mad that I brought a girl home?” he asked looking into her eyes with a smirk.

“What am I, your mother?” she asked with a small laugh. “No. I’m not mad or jealous. Believe it or not… when it comes to us, I trust you.” she slid her hand around to the back of his neck and pulled him down for a kiss. “Where is she?”

“Resting.” He answered.

“Good, then she won’t walk in on this.” She pulled him down for a more heated kiss that made him pick her up and carry her to the study.

They were making out on the leather couch when they heard a knock on the door to the room. Katie moved from his lap and straightened her tank top while he answered it. “What an unpleasant surprise.” Klaus said as Damon walked into the room with a stack of papers in his hand.

“So I just came up with a list.” Damon told them then turned his back on Katie where she still sat on the couch to look at Klaus. “It’s called things you suck at.” Klaus just folded his hands in front of him with a small smirk. “Number one: Finding Katherine, ever.” Klaus’s smirk fell to a look of aggravation. “Number two: Covering up your secret phone conversations with that little back stabber Hayley.” Damon waved the papers at him then turned and tossed them on the coffee table. “So where is she and what does she know about Katherine?”

“I should help you?” Klaus asked with a motion between himself and Damon. “After you lot killed my brother and imprisoned me in the Gilbert living room?”

“You might want to prioritize, Klaus, you have much bigger problems.” Damon said, raising his voice. Katie stood up and looked past Damon to Klaus. “Katherine has the cure. My guess is she’s gonna want to cram it down your throat. You help me find Katherine, I’ll get the cure, I’ll give it to Elena, everybody wins. Just let me question Hayley about Katherine.”

Klaus gave Damon a smirk as he walked over to the couch. “Can’t help you mate, Hayley’s off limits.” He sat down and pulled Katie to straddle his lap. “Although I did have a run-in with a vampire who may know where Katerina is.” He slid his hand over Katie’s leg and up to her thigh. “Too bad for you I bit halfway though his bloody neck. He probably won’t have much time for chit-chat.” Katie started kissing his neck, no longer caring that Damon was there. “You can see yourself out.” Damon made a disgusted sound before Katie heard him walk away and the door to the room shut.

After a while of making out Katie looked at the clock in the room. “Not to cut our fun short, but I have to get to the school. Caroline asked me to come to the cheer competition and help keep an eye on Elena who has randomly decided that she wanted my old spot on the cheer team.” she slid off him and stood up. “Plus it will probably be easier for you to get information out of Hayley if I’m not around.” He gave her an interested look. “You catch more flies with honey than vinegar.” She told him with a smile. “Damon used to flirt info out of women all the time. It never bothered me because I trusted him, and as I said before I trust you. As long as you don’t kiss her or sleep with her we’re good.” She finished with a smile then grabbed her keys off of the table. “And if you decide to use vinegar I won’t be around to see it. As much as I like your diabolical side, I don’t think I’m ready to become a spectator just yet.”

“You will never cease to surprise me.” he told her as he stood up and tucked his hands behind his back.

“And it will never cease to amaze me that I keep surprising you.” she pecked him on the lips then turned her back on him. “See you later.”

TVDTVDTVD

After the competition Elena decided to throw a party at the boarding house, but Katie went home instead. As she was going into the mansion, Hayley was leaving. Neither of them said anything to each other. Katie found Klaus in the parlor with a drink in his hand. “So how did that go?”

“I wined and dined her, got the information I needed then pissed her off when I didn’t put out like he expected.” He told her with a smirk.

“Yeah she looked pissed when we passed.” Katie laughed and flopped down next to him and took the drink out of his hand.

“How was the competition?” he asked watching her take a drink.

“Elena fed on a cheerleader from another school, just as I expected her to. Then when Caroline called her out on it, Elena dropped her during the routine.” Katie told him then took another drink and passed him the glass back. “According to Caroline, Damon tried to use his sire bond to get Elena to behave, but I don’t think they realized that because the sire bond stems from emotions the bond is broken without them. So what they thought was Elena behaving and joining in on school activities was really her finding vervain free bodies to feed on.” Klaus didn’t say anything. “Sorry, I’m sure you could care less about teen gossip.”

“I wouldn’t have asked if I didn’t care.” He pointed out. “I was just thinking about that one time you got on stage and sang karaoke.” He told her.

“Eesh.” She commented as she moved around to lie on the couch with her head in his lap.

“Not eesh.” He scolded as he started playing with her hair. “You were good. You had the attention of every man in the room, some women too.”

“Stop.” She laughed and smacked him in the chest with the back of her hand.

“Sing for me?” he asked, surprising her.

“I don’t know…” she drawled.

“If you can sing in a room full of strangers you can sing for me.” He pointed out.

“That was when I was fearless.” She pointed out.

“It’s just me, Love, there's nothing to be afraid of.” He told her quietly. “Please?” he looked down at her with puppy dog eyes and his bottom lip poked out the slightest bit.

She couldn’t help but smile at him. “You and those damn eyes and pouty lips.” She sighed. “Fine. What do you want to hear?”

“There was a song on your phone I grew fond of. It was in your top songs list, from some tv show soundtrack.” He told her not being able to remember the song.

“Most likely the Nashville soundtrack.” She commented as she pulled her phone out of her back pocket then started going through her songs.

“It was a duet.” He added.

“When the Right One Comes Along?” Katie asked and he shook his head no. “Fade Into You?”

“That one.” He told her and she smiled a bright judgy smile at him. “What?”

“You’re such a sappy romantic.” She told him and he rolled his eyes with a smile.

“Are you gonna sing it or not?” he asked impatiently.

“Yeah, yeah, I’ll sing.” She told him with a wave of her hand then closed her eyes and started singing the slow love song. When he brushed the backs of his fingers over her cheek she opened her eyes and looked into his. The look in them caused her heart to skip a beat. When she got to the last line of the song she reached up and placed her hand on his cheek. “There’ll be no trace that one was once two after I fade into you.”

“Thank you, sweetheart.” He told her as he took her hand from his cheek and kissed the underside of her wrist. Her eyes slipped closed and reveled in the intimate touch.

TVDTVDTVD

The next morning Klaus and Katie walked into the boarding house, finding Caroline cleaning up the mess from the party last night. Not knowing they were looking Caroline picked up a cup, sniffed it then drank it. “Care, I know we’re vamps and all, but can I just say…ew?”

“Desperate times?” Klaus asked with his hands tucked behind his back.

“What is he doing here?” Caroline asked Katie.

“Not judging you for starters.” Klaus answered for himself. “Although if you are determined to get drunk then perhaps I might recommend something a little more sanitary?” Caroline drank what was left in the cup she had in her hand then threw it away. “Well then, you showed me.” Klaus told her with a smile.

Katie punched him in the shoulder then pointed at him. “Stop it.”

“Yes ma’am.” He told her with a smirk that made Katie roll her eyes.

“Seriously Care, what’s wrong?” Katie asked as she walked over and started helping her clean up.

“Your boyfriend is what’s wrong.” She grabbed a cup and threw it into the trash can aggressively. “Because of him, Tyler gave Matt the deed to his house. He’s not coming back.”

“Oh…” Katie said then started looking around the house feeling stuck between a rock and a hard place.

“Tyler made it his life’s mission to kill me.” Klaus told her as he walked over to the girls. “You can’t hate me for driving him away.”

“Oh I can. And I do. Now if you don’t mind I’d like to get back to spiraling.” Caroline told him. “So go away.”

“We were kind of invited.” Katie spoke up.

“I asked them to be here.” Stefan said as he walked into the room. “We need their help. I think Silas is in Mystic falls.”

“What makes you think that?” Katie asked with a frown.

“Blood has gone missing the Mystic Falls and Grove hills hospitals.” Stefan answered as Klaus walked around to the table behind the couch and poured two drinks.

“So some blood went missing from some hospitals.” He handed one to Katie and she took it and sat down on the arm of the couch. “What about Elena? Vampires with their humanity off tend to overindulge in human blood, or were you the exception?” Klaus turned from the table and looked at Stefan.

“It’s not Elena.” Stefan answered, putting his hand on his hip.

“Well, let’s say for a moment that it was Silas. I’m struggling to see how this affects us.” he sat down on the couch and wrapped his arm around Katie’s waist.

“Look, Silas wants to die and be reunited with his one true love, but he’s supernatural, so if he takes the cure and dies, he gets stuck on the other side.” Stefan explained.

“How Shakespearian.” Klaus commented with a cocky smile then took a sip of his drink.

“But if he destroys the other side all together, he can take the cure, die, and pass on. But in destroying it every dead supernatural being will return to our side.” Stefan’s words brought a frown to Katie’s face and she threw back her drink.

“That means every werewolf, every witch, every vampire. I wonder how many of those you personally killed. Care yet?” Caroline asked Klaus from where she stood behind Stefan.

“My interest is piqued.” Klaus told Caroline then looked at Stefan. “How do we stop him?”

“Bonnie said Silas needs to complete 3 massacres to do this spell.” Stefan answered. “Before professor Shane died, he convinced the pastor to blow up the council. Next he had you kill your hybrids and now he only needs one more massacre. So if he’s here, that’s what he’s doing. We need to find him.”

TVDTVDTVD

“So what are we even looking for?” Caroline asked as the four of them walked into Professor Shane’s apartment.

“Well, if Shane really was working with Silas chances are he was helping him plan his next move.” Stefan answered as they all started walking around, looking at all the random stuff.

“Where, on his evil villain to do list? Steal blood, perform 3 massacres, pick up dry cleaning?” Caroline asked.

“Actually not to nit-pick, but we evil villain’s usually use minions to pick up our dry cleaning, that sort of thing.” Klaus spoke up.

Katie bit her lips closed to keep her snippy comment at Klaus from coming out in front of Stefan and Caroline. “Why is he necessary again?” Caroline asked, making Katie smirk.

“Well, we don’t know what Silas can do. So if we do have to go head to head with him, an original hybrid who can’t die might come in handy.” Stefan answered.

“Besides, Stefan and I work well together, or at least we did in the twenties.” Klaus said as he walked over to the desk chair and sat down on it.

“Well, granted my emotions were off.” Stefan added.

“And that’s why you were more fun.” Klaus said as Katie walked over and pulled herself up to sit on the desk facing him. Normally she would be all for snooping for helpful information, but in this case she had no clue what she’d be looking for. “Just as Damon is probably relishing in Elena’s emotionless company in New York.”

“My brother knows what he’s doing.” Stefan told Klaus in a hard voice.

Katie bit her lips closed and Klaus smirked at her knowing she was fighting hard to keep her comments to herself. “Does he?” Klaus asked. “Don’t underestimate the allure of darkness, Stefan. Even the purest hearts are drawn to it.” Stefan just turned his back on them. “Still, I’m sure it will all be fine.” He placed his fingertips together with a smirk and swayed back and forth in the chair. Katie took in his devious smirk when he looked up at her.

“I think I found something.” Caroline spoke up and walked over to the desk with a book. “Symbolic figures in the dark arts.” She opened the book and put it on the desk. “Didn’t Bonnie talk about expression triangles? Here.” She pointed at a triangular drawing with different symbols at each of the points. Katie slipped off the desk and turned to look at the book.

“In some schools of magic such as expression, human sacrifice can be used as a focus for power. It’s rumored that the addition of two supernatural sacrifices compounds the mystical energy creating an expression triangle.” Stefan read from the book.

“Human’s, that was the council fire.” Caroline pointed at the top symbol, “Demons, Klaus’ hybrid failure.”

“Well, I wouldn’t exactly call it a failure.” Klaus said dropping his clasped hands to wrap one around Katie’s waist. “What’s the third?”

“Oh no.” Caroline said looking at the book.

“What’s oh no?” Katie asked.

“Witches.” Caroline answered.

“Bonnie.” Katie said with a look at Caroline.

“I’ll go call her.” Stefan said as he pulled out his cell phone and headed out of the apartment.

Caroline grabbed a map, ruler and sharpie and laid them out on the desk. “There’s been two massacres. Pastor Young’s farm is here,” she drew an x on the map, “and the old Lockwood cellar, where Klaus spitefully slaughtered 12 of his own hybrids, is here.” She drew another x then connected them. “According to the book, the expression triangle is equilateral, putting it here.” She made a third x and connected it to the first line she drew.

“Or…” Katie hip bumped Klaus and he moved to the side. She moved so that she could stand across from Caroline. She took the ruler and made a mirror image equilateral triangle to the one Caroline had drawn. “here.” Katie pointed at the second location that the witch massacre could happen then looked up at Caroline.

Caroline didn’t get a chance to say anything before Stefan walked in getting their attention. “Hey, what’s going on? Did you find Bonnie?” she asked.

“No, but I talked to her dad. I think I found Silas.” Stefan answered getting Katie and Klaus’ attention. “He said Shane has been helping her learn to control her magic. Bonnie called her mom to get a group of witches down here to perform a ritual to help her…tonight.” They all knew Shane died on the island.

“Okay.” Katie looked out the window to see that the sun was starting to set. “Then I guess we don’t have much time do we?”

TVDTVDTVD

Katie and Klaus walked through the woods headed to the location she’d marked on the map on the cell phone in Klaus’ hand. “So I have a question.” Katie started. “You liked Stefan better with his humanity off and you think Damon likes Elena better with her humanity off. Why didn’t you like me better without my humanity?”

“Because I like you better with it.” He told her simply. “Don’t get me wrong, you were fun and carefree without your humanity, but all the things I like about you were gone.” They came to a stop and he turned off his phone and put it in his pocket.

“And those things are?” she drawled.

“Now who’s fishing for compliments?” he asked her with a smirk and she rolled her eyes and gave him a look that asked him to answer the question. “Your fire, your compassion…everything that makes you who you are.”

“Mkay, second question.” She started. “I told you once that I didn’t know why I was drawn to you. So was that, “don’t underestimate the allure of darkness” comment you made earlier, really aimed at Elena and Damon or were you talking about us?” she asked, trying to mimic his accent.

He smiled at her bad attempt. “Both.” He answered.

“That’s not why I’m drawn to you.” she told him matter-of-factly and he gave her a curious look that she was growing to like. “It’s the man hidden under the monster that pulls me in. The little glimpses of your humanity that I’ve gotten to see. You like my humanity, I like yours.”

He leaned down and kissed her then pulled back and looked around. “We’re here. Although judging by the lack of witches, here is not the correct location.”

“Awesome.” Katie sighed now even more worried about Bonnie.

Seeing her worry he held his hand out to her. “I’m faster than you, Love.”

She ignored his hand and walked around him, placed her hands on his shoulders then jumped and wrapped her legs around his torso. He grabbed her thighs and looked at her over his shoulder. She pecked him on the cheek. “Whisk me away, Big Bad Wolf.”

When they found Stefan, Caroline and the witches Katie saw Bonnie laying in the center of a pentagram with her hands and feet tied to stakes that were hammered into the ground.

“They’re linked, Bonnie’s going to kill them.” Stefan informed them.

“Not if the witches kill her first.” Klaus pinned Stefan to a tree with his hands on his chest.

“Klaus, we can’t let them kill her.” Katie pleaded with him.

“The only way to stop the witches is to kill them and Silas gets what he wants.” Klaus pointed out.

All of their eyes turned to the witch that sat at Bonnie’s head, a knife raised over her head. Katie didn’t know what to do, she couldn’t just let them kill Bonnie, but at the same time it was like Klaus said, the only way to stop them was to kill them. Take one life or twelve? Before anyone could stop her Caroline whooshed over, grabbed the witch’s hands and made her stab herself in the heart. “No!” Katie and Klaus yelled at the same time.

Stefan went to Caroline’s side while Katie stood next to Klaus. “Well, you wouldn’t happen to have a shovel would you?” Katie asked with a sigh.

TVDTVDTVD

By the time Katie and Klaus had dug twelve holes in the middle of the woods the sun had come up. Katie and Klaus did most of the work, Caroline was still in shock at what just happened. “There, twelve graves for twelve witches, like it never happened.” Klaus told Caroline as he rolled his sleeves down. “Only it did happen.” He grabbed his jacket and shrugged it on. “Now Silas has everything he needs to open the gates to hell on earth.”

Katie slammed her shovel into the ground then grabbed her denim jacket off a fallen tree and pulled it on. “You two were just gonna let Bonnie die.” Caroline told them with a glare.

“I know arithmetic isn’t your strong point, but one is still less than twelve.” Klaus told her.

Caroline looked at Katie. “That one, is our best friend.”

“Yeah, Care, but those other twelve witches had best friends and probably families too.” Katie pointed out.

Caroline’s face turned to one of horror. “I just killed twelve people…” she whispered looking like she was about to cry.

“Okay, I’m going to drive Caroline home.” Katie told Klaus who gave her a nod.

Katie spent the night with Caroline, not wanting her to be alone with herself after what she’d done.

TVDTVDTVD

The next morning Katie got a message from Klaus asking her to come home and that it was an emergency.

“Klaus?” Katie called as she walked through the house.

“Go away.” She followed his voice to a room she’d never been in and found him sitting on the floor leaning against the bench of a piano, shirtless and shaking from pain.

“I got your message, what happened?” she asked as she walked into the room.

“I need more time. Stop hounding me!” he yelled at her.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” She walked over to him and kneeled down, brushing his sweaty hair out of his face. “What's wrong?” blood was on his back a day fingertips.

“Katie…Is it really you?” he asked shakily.

“Yeah.” she drawled in confusion.

“Prove it to me.” he told her.

“Um, okay.” She sighed not knowing how she was supposed to prove that she was herself. So she simply kissed him then pressed her forehead to his and looked him in the eyes. “Now tell me what happened, please.”

“Silas, he stabbed me with a white oak stake.” He told her motioning to his back and she moved around him to see a bloody spot on his back that looked more like he’d been clawing at it than if he’d been stabbed. “There’s a piece of it stuck inside me.”

She moved back to kneel in front of him and cupped his cheek in her hand. “I’ll see what I can do.” She stood up and held her hand out to him. He took it and let her pull him up. She pulled the piano bench out and motioned for him to sit. So he sat down and leaned forward on the piano. She picked up the bloody trimming shears off the floor, grabbed a wooden chair and set down behind him.

After an hour and a half of digging around in his back and coming up with nothing she tossed the sheers onto of the piano. “You’re giving up.” He observed.

“On those stupid sheers, yes.” She said then started digging around in his back with her fingers.

“Are you using your fingers?” he asked.

“That’s what she said.” She joked and he heaved an aggravated sigh. “Sorry, not the time for jokes. Yes, I’m using my fingers. And if I still don’t find anything then yeah, I’ll give up because there’s nothing in here and I can't keep torturing you.”

“It’s there.” he told her, still in a lot of pain.

“So why did Silas come after you anyway?” she asked while poking and prodding around in his back.

“He wants me to get him the cure.” He answered truthfully.

After another hour of digging in his back she gave up. “Klaus, I swear there’s nothing there.” She told him as she stopped poking around in his back.

“I can feel it!” he yelled as he stood up and turned to her, knocking the piano bench over. She held up her bloody hands and took a step back.

“Do you think I would just stand by and let you die?” she asked with a hard tone.

“Probably.” He answered quietly, not looking at her.

“I flipped my switch because I thought you died!” she yelled at him. “So believe me when I tell you there is no white oak splinter working its way to your heart. You’re imagining it!”

“Do not raise your voice to me!” he told her, taking a step closer to tower over her.

“I will raise my voice at you any time I damn well please you stubborn, egomaniacal douche bag!” she yelled back taking a step closer to him as she glared back at him.

Instead of lashing out at her he frowned and looked at the floor. “It’s gone.”

“Huh?” Katie asked, confused.

“The pain…” He reached back over his shoulder. “The pain is gone.” He closed his eyes and shook his head. “It was…It was never there.” He opened his eyes and looked at her, all anger gone from both of them. “You were right, I was imagining it. Silas…” he pointed at his temples with two fingers, “got inside my head.” He cupped her cheek in his hand, kissed her then pressed his forehead to hers. “You took my mind off it. You brought me back, Little Phoenix.”

“Well, then I guess my temper paid off for once.” She said with a small smile that he returned. “So you’re okay?” she asked as she pulled back and rested one hand on his shoulder and cupped his cheek in the other.

“I am. Thanks to you.” he told her then rested his hands on her waist.

“So…do you really think I’d just let you die, or were you just talking out of pain and frustration?” she asked, having been a little hurt by him.

“I didn’t mean it.” he told her honestly. “I apologize.”

“Hmm, how often does that leave your mouth?” she asked jokingly and he rolled his eyes at her. “Restock the fridge with ice cream and all is forgiven. And I’m sorry I called you a douchebag.” She told him with a small smile. He tried to kiss her but she pulled away “You need a shower. Contrary to popular belief a sweaty man is not a sexy one.”

“No?” he asked with a look down at himself, his jeans riding low on his hips.

“No.” she answered with a small laugh and a shake of her head. When a devilish look appeared in his eyes she smiled bigger. “Klaus.” She drawled with a warning tone.

“Katie.” He mimicked her tone as he smiled back.

“Whatever you’re thi-” her words were cut off with a yelp when he picked her up and pressed her to the wall, exaggeratedly rubbing his body against her, wiping his sweat all over her. “Klaus.” She laughed his name while he kissed her neck and she wrapped her arms around him only to stick her hand in the blood and bits of flesh left behind when his back healed. “Okay, okay, you win. I’ll shower with you.”

[fandom-imagines-stories]

If I Stay

Charlie St. Cloud x Reader

Words: 4004

Requested by anon: I love that you’re willing to write for Charlie St. Cloud. Any chance you could do one where the reader is in a coma from some kind of accident, but she kind of wanders around like Tess did? Maybe Charlie had a huge crush on her in high school and tries everything in his power to get her t wake up when he realizes that the girl he’s been spending time with isn’t actually there but in the coma?

Notes: I actually had a similar idea for this so I’m so glad you requested it! I love Charlie St. Cloud and If I Stay, so I thought they would make an interesting combination. Let me know what you think!

-

The wailing siren startled him as the white flash of the ambulance zipped by. Charlie stopped walking, watching the vehicle vanish into the distance. His memories came faster than he could stop them; the sirens getting closer and closer to the car, the crunching sound of glass, the blinding white light. He shook them out of his head. 

It had been over a year since he stopped seeing Sam. He had come to terms with it, knowing that his little brother was finally at peace in that place beyond the light. And Charlie, in turn, had found his own peace with that. 

He continued his walk. 

“H-Hello?” A quiet voice made him pause again. The voice got louder. “Somebody help me!”

Charlie searched frantically for the source until he spotted the woman stumbling towards him, limping heavily. He rushed to her aid, eyes scanning her body for other injuries. She nearly collapsed in his arms when he reached her. 

“It’s okay, I’ve got you. You’re going to be okay.” He assured her. Finally getting a good look at her face, he gasped. “Y/N?” 

“C-Charlie?” You blinked rapidly, your head pounding as you tried to talk. “Charlie St. Cloud?” You clung to him, your body shaking with shock. “Oh thank god. I don’t… I don’t know what happened. Something’s wrong. I can’t find my family. We were driving just a second ago and now… you have to help me find them.” 

“Hey, slow down.” He knew that your panicking would only make matters worse. “We’ll find them, okay? I promise we’re going to find them.” His eyes scanned the snowy landscape. Trailing above the trees was a line of black smoke. “Come on.” He took your hand and led you around the bend, bright flashing lights making his heart drop. 

The road was covered in skid marks and debris. It only took a moment to spot the car. The silver minivan was sandwiched in between two trees, laying on its side with the front of the car nearly entirely smashed in. A semi truck with a large dent on the front sat pulled over on the other side of the road. In the middle of it all was the ambulance. 

“Oh my god.” You gasped, covering your mouth with your hand. Two black bags were being loaded into the ambulance as another arrived. “W-what’s going on? Mom! Dad!” Your screaming broke Charlie’s heart. He grabbed onto you, taking you in his arms and cradling the back of your head with his hand so that you wouldn't have to look. 

“Please no.” Charlie silently begged as two more bodies were brought up on gurneys. Even from this distance, he could tell that one of them was you. 

-

You had grown up together. Charlie was the star of your grade and you were one of his closest friends. You, Green, Charlie, and Sully were inseparable. Until Sam died. After the crash, Charlie vanished into himself. With Green and Sully away at war, you were forced to figure things out on your own. You went to college in Seattle and never heard from your high-school crush again.

Now were you curled up on the windowsill of the hospital, Charlie sitting nervously across from you. Your whole body was shaking. Your leg didn’t hurt as much now and you weren’t as cold as you were before, but you were trembling at what Charlie was implying. 

“You’re the only one who can see me.” You said, pulling your legs up to your chest. A sob escaped your lips. “Am I… am I dead?” He shook his head, taking your hands in his. 

“I don’t think so. They won’t let me in, of course, but I think that you’re just… asleep.” He chose his words carefully so it wouldn’t upset you more. 

“I’m in a coma.” You said blankly. You stood suddenly. “I have to find Teddy.”

“I don’t know if that’s a good-”

“She came in with me, right, which means that she’s still alive. She’s in her somewhere. I have to find her.” You were past the doors before he could stop you. Receiving a strange look from one of the nurses at the desk, he stayed put. 

“So much to put on someone’s shoulders.” A voice said, a woman suddenly having appeared beside him. 

“I’m sorry?” 

“To put on both of you.” She shook her head. “But it’s up to her, Charlie. Stay or go, it’s her choice. And it’s up to you to help her whichever way she goes.” The woman gave him a small smile before heading towards the elevator. 

Charlie stood there, stunned. What just happened? 

“Hey! Wait!” He called out, running towards the elevator just as the doors slid closed. The woman’s message ran through his head over and over again. Stay or go, it’s her choice. And it’s up to you to help her… 

“Charlie!” You came running back into the lobby with a smile. “Teddy’s unconscious, but from what I heard the doctor’s saying, she’s going to be okay. She looks better than I do.” You wrapped your arms around him in relief, feeling the tension in his body. When you looked at him, he was staring at you, tears welling up in his eyes. “What? What is it?” 

“I, um, I think I understand why I’m here now.” He gulped. 

“What do you mean?” 

He was quiet for a long time. How was he supposed to explain this? How do you tell someone that it’s their choice to live or die? Your hands gripped his arms, urging him to continue. Charlie noticed that a couple of the people in the lobby were staring at him, so he grabbed your hand and led you to a supply closet. Checking to make sure no one was watching, he opened the door and pulled you inside. 

“Charlie what’s going on?” You squeaked. 

“You choose.” He said suddenly, watching and waiting for your reaction. 

“What does that mean?”

“It means that you have to decide whether you want to stay,” He took a deep breath, “or go.” 

“What?” Your eyes widened as you tried to process this. “That can’t- how am I supposed to- why me?” You had so many questions that you knew he wouldn’t be able to answer. “Where does that put you?” 

“I’m here to help you, whatever you decide.” He sighed. He wanted to scream. The choice was obvious. You had to stay. He wanted you to stay. But this wasn’t about what he wanted. 

“I could be with my parents again.” You whispered. You wanted more than anything to hide in one of your father’s bear hugs again, or to have your mother kiss your forehead and tell you everything was going to be okay. 

“What about Teddy?” Charlie pointed out. Your 15 year old sister was fighting just like you were. Would she have to choose too? 

“How the hell am I supposed to do this, Charlie?” You cried, covering your face in your hands. You could feel the panic setting in like a slow darkness filling your chest. You started to hyperventilate. 

“Hey,” Charlie pulled your hands away to find your face stained with tears. “We’re going to figure this out, okay? I’m not going anywhere.” You nodded and laid your head against his chest as he wrapped his arms around you. “I’m not going anywhere this time.”

-

You laughed as Sully and Green played around with Sam, the younger boy pretending to be tough and annoyed with the two Marine bound graduates. You, however, were looking for one fellow grad in particular. 

“We did it!” Charlie shouted, picking you up from behind and spinning you around. 

“Put me down, St. Cloud!” You shrieked, whirling around so you could pull your best friend into a hug. “I can’t believe we did it.” 

“We all knew you would make it.” Green noted. “Miss I’d-Rather-Study-Than-Party.” 

“Seriously, Y/N, you earned this.” Charlie grinned, sending those butterflies in your stomach fluttering. “Hell, I don’t know if I would be here without all those late night study calls.” 

“Of course you would.” You blushed. 

“Speaking of parties, you’re both coming to the one tonight, right?” Sully asked. You shrugged. “Come on, we leave for bootcamp in a week. You guys have to come.” Charlie cast you a quizzical look. 

“I’ll go if you go.” With those sky blue eyes staring at you, you just couldn’t say no. 

“Alright, I’ll be there.” You conceded. “It’s not like we have any more tests to study for.” Sully pulled you into a victory hug before him and Green ran off to meet with their families. Which left you and Charlie. 

“So…” He blew out a long breath. 

“So.” The awkward silence was actually killing you. If there ever was a time to tell Charlie how you felt, now might be one of your last chances. He spoke before you had the chance. 

“There, um, there’s been something I’ve been meaning to talk to you about.” He said nervously. It wasn’t often that you saw Charlie nervous, so you listened intently. “I really… for a long time… God, I don’t really know how to say it.” He rubbed the back of his neck, floundering for words. 

“Charlie!” Sam shouted, motioning for his big brother to leave. 

“One second!” 

“Mom’s already in the car!” Sam crossed the room, pulling on Charlie’s arm. 

“Sam, just give me a minute-”

“It’s okay.” You gave him a small smile. “Why don’t you just tell me tonight?” As much as it was eating at you not knowing, you didn’t want him to get in trouble. Instead, you placed a gentle kiss on his cheek. “I’ll see you later, Charlie.” 

Sam started to pull him away, but Charlie turned to give you one more grin. 

“I’ll see you tonight.” 

-

Charlie was terrified. Things he had pushed away for six years were suffocating him. Six years where he could have reached out to you. And now that you were finally back to him… you could leave him just as quickly. 

You were in the back keeping an eye on Teddy when your grandparents arrived. Charlie remembered them from your birthday parties over the years and they must have recognized him because your grandmother pulled him into a tight hug. 

“Charlie, I didn’t know you would be here.” She said tearfully, putting a hand on his cheek. He knew that look in her eye. It was the look of a mother who had just lost her son. 

“I was walking and I saw the wreck.” He started, taking a deep breath. “When I saw that it was Y/N… I don't know. I had to come here.” 

“We're glad you did, son.” Your grandfather put a hand on his shoulder. He left to check in with the doctors to see if they could go back to see you and Teddy. 

“How long has it been since I saw the two of you together?” Your grandmother wondered. “Five years?” 

“Six.” Charlie sighed, his tone full of regret and guilt. 

“After everything you went through, she never blamed you, sweetie. None of us could.” She gave him a sympathetic smile. “Never stopped talking about you, though.”

“Hmm?” 

“Y/N was always asking about you when she went off to school. She was even thinking about dropping by your house for Christmas…” Her voice trailed off. Christmas would never be the same for those girls again. 

“I’m really sorry for your loss, Mrs. Y/L/N.” Charlie said sadly. She had lost her son and her daughter-in-law and both of her granddaughters were lying in hospital beds. 

“Grandma?” You gasped, coming back into the lobby. You ran over to her, but she made no acknowledgement of your presence. Charlie gave you a sorrowful glance and shook his head just enough that you would notice. 

“We just have to be here for our girls now.” She covered her mouth with her hand to hold back a sob. Your face fell, wanting more than anything to tell her that you were there. You were right there. 

“I think I’m going to go walk around and stretch my legs.” Charlie looked pointedly at you, but long enough for your grandmother to notice. “If you need absolutely anything or if something happens, I won’t be far.” She gave him a pat on the hand as thanks and joined her husband. 

The two of you strolled up and down the stairs in silence for a while before going out onto the roof. Charlie was trying to figure out how to say what he wanted, but just like six years ago, he just couldn’t get the words past his lips. 

“I’m sorry for not being there these last couple years.” He finally sighed, leaning on the wall and looking out over the town. “I shouldn’t have shut you out the way that I did. Even when Green and Sully died…”

“Charlie…” You put your hand on top of his. “As much as I missed you, I never held any of that against you.” You thought for a second, debating if telling him would be a good idea. But hey, what could you lose? “I kinda blamed myself for a really long time.” He jerked his head around to look at you.

“It was a car accident. How could it have been your fault?” 

You shrugged, letting your mind travel back to that night. It didn’t so long ago anymore. 

“I don’t know. For that entire first year, all I could think about was that you only were coming to the party because I went. You said that, remember? If I hadn’t gone, maybe you would have stayed home that night…” You tried not to let your growing emotions get in the way of your words. “It sounds stupid, but I guess when something like that happens, we all find someway to blame ourselves.” 

Charlie let your words sink in. How long had been blaming himself for losing Sam? He was the one sneaking out. He was the one behind the wheel. He was the one that lived. Then he thought what it meant for you. 

“You don’t blame yourself for this, do you?” You didn’t answer. “Y/N, you can’t do that to yourself.” 

“I was picking the music. I’m the reason my dad didn’t see the other car swerve into our lane.” You pushed away from the ledge and started to pace back and forth. “And now mom and dad are- but I can’t leave Teddy- but what the hell am I supposed to do?”

“Y/N slow down.” Charlie grabbed your hand to stop your pacing. “What happened today isn’t your fault, alright? If you get that in your head, it’s going to-”

“What, Charlie? Kill me?” You snapped. “Kinda hard since I’m already dying.” His face fell and you sighed. “I’m sorry, that wasn’t called for.” 

There was a long pause where neither of you really knew what to say, even with so many words running through your heads. So many feelings that you thought were gone. Why now? Why bring the two of you together now when you were lying in a hospital bed fighting to stay alive. Or were you trying to let go? 

“Hey…” Charlie covered your hand with his, holding it against his heart. “You are still here. You’re here and you’re fighting and I… I want you to keep fighting. I want you to stay.” There were so many other things he wanted to tell you. What he was going to tell you that night. Slowly, he tried his best to show what his words couldn’t say, closing the space between you. 

The kiss was slow and hesitant, but soft and sweet, too. It was a kiss you’d both been dreaming of since the first grade. You felt everything clearly, from the beat of his heart under your palm to his hand fall to the small of your back, pulling you closer. 

“I always knew you too would figure it out eventually.” A voice made Charlie pull away suddenly. Standing at the other side of the roof was your sister. She wasn’t wearing a hospital gown anymore. Instead, she was standing in her favorite yellow dress, smiling like she was saying goodbye. 

“Teddy?” Charlie gasped, still holding you in his arms. You whirled around to see what he was looking at, but there was no one there.

“Charlie what are you-” Then it hit you. If he could see Teddy���

You took off in a sprint before Charlie could stop you. Charlie’s heart sank as Teddy spoke. 

“She’s going to give up, Charlie.” She sighed. “You have to get her to stay. She has a choice. She isn’t ready to go yet, she just thinks she is.” 

“And you are?” He cried. Teddy was 15. Last time he saw her, she was just nine years old. She still had so much life to live.  

“I’ll be okay.” She said, resigned. “Go to her. She needs you to make her stay, Charlie. Please save my sister.” Teddy stood there and watched Charlie run after you before walking off into the sky. 

“Y/N!” Charlie called out, desperately trying to catch up with you. “Y/N stop!” While you could hear his footsteps thundering down the stairs behind you, you didn’t listen. All you could think about was reaching your baby sister in time. 

“Teddy!” You rushed to find her room. Standing outside were your grandparents and the doctor. 

“We did everything we could.” The doctor informed them grimly. “I’m so sorry for your loss.” Your grandmother broke out in sobs. 

“No!” You screamed. “Teddy!” Unable to look in the now empty hospital room, you kept running. You ran and ran through the halls until your legs gave out. 

She’d barely finished the first semester of her freshman year. You were supposed to go shopping for her winter royalty dress this weekend. It was her first dance that someone had asked her to. She was so excited. 

“I can’t do this!” You screamed at whatever was out there that was listening. “I can’t do this anymore! I’m done!” You slammed your fist against the tiles of the floor, but you couldn’t feel anything anymore. You just watched the bright white light at the end of the hallway get closer and closer until-

“Y/N!” Charlie’s hands grabbed you by the shoulders and he fell to his knees in front of you. 

“Let go of me Charlie.” You sobbed, trying to break away from him- to surrender to the light. 

“I can’t.” He tried to get you to look at him. “Y/N, I won’t let you go. You can’t give up. You can’t go-”

“Wouldn’t you?” You tore yourself away, your words catching with every sob. Charlie winced. “If you had the choice, if you could have gone with Sam, you would have.” 

“I did die in that crash, Y/N.” He said sharply. “But I came back. You have to come back.” 

“I want this to be over, Charlie.” You crumpled up against the wall, laying your head on the floor. “I just want it to be over.” 

Charlie moved so that your head was in his lap and he gently ran his fingers through your hair. Eventually, your crying turned into steady breaths and, overcome with the exhaustion of the day, Charlie allowed himself to sleep.

-

He woke up with empty arms in a dark hallway. His tired mind took a moment to process everything that had happened and as soon as he realized what was going on, he jumped to his feet. 

“Y/N?” He called out, hearing only his echo in return. Your words rang in his head. I just want this to be over. “Shit.” He took off down the hall, checking around every corner and empty room. He ran to the lobby where your grandparents were speaking with the doctor. 

“All we can do is wait.” The doctor put a hand on your grandmother’s shoulder. “You can go talk to her. Maybe some words of encouragement can help her through it.” Charlie knew what he really meant. It’s time to say goodbyes. 

He was frozen in place. He had to do something. He had to change your mind and get you to come back. He couldn’t lose you again. 

“Charlie?” You grandmother said softly. “Why don’t you come back with us? She’d want you to.” He still couldn’t move. She put a hand on his shoulder and snapped him out of it. 

“I’ll be there in a second.” He finally said. He watched the two of them head back into the ICU. It was like his feet weren’t his anymore. He just stood there, head reeling and hands shaking. Why couldn’t he see you anymore? Of course, his head could only draw one conclusion, but it was one that his heart couldn’t accept. You couldn’t give up. 

After giving your grandparents some time alone, he entered your room for the first time. At first, he felt sick. You were hooked up to machines and your leg was in a cast. Most of all, you looked defeated. Somehow, even unconscious, your expression gave away your sorrow. Like you didn’t have anything to live for. 

As if sensing his unease, your grandparents allowed him to speak with you in private. He sat beside you, gently placing a hand on top of yours. 

“You’ve got me pretty freaked out here, Y/N.” He laughed humorously, feeling a tear roll down his cheek. He took a deep breath. “I know it hurts. Believe me, I do. When I lost Sam all I wanted to do was give up. But you can’t go, Y/N. Teddy wants you to stay. I-” His words were cut off by a sharp breath, trying to hold back a sob. “I need you to stay.” 

Charlie brought your hand to his chest and held it against his heart like he had on the roof. Maybe if you could feel him there, if you knew that there were people here for you, you would wake up. If you knew how he felt- how he’d felt for years. If you knew what he was going to say that night. 

“I guess now might be the only time to tell you…” He sighed, his grip on your hand tightening desperately. “I should have told you so many times through high school, but I was so scared of ruining our friendship and breaking up the group. But the truth is, Y/N…” Even now, he wasn’t sure if he could say it. What if you couldn’t hear him? What if you were already gone? “Y/N, I’m in love with you. I’ve been in love with you since the sixth grade and being with you again after all this time… I never stopped loving you.” 

He thought about all those weekends on his boat, your laughter ringing out over the sound of the waves. He thought of the sun making your wet skin glisten and making your bright eyes sparkle. Six years and the images of you were still clear in his mind. All of those times that he wanted to tell you- times he should have told you how he felt. 

“Maybe I’m selfish for wanting you to stay,” He stood, holding your again against his tear stained cheek. “Maybe I’m supposed to let you go like- like Sam.” It was hard to speak now, but he had to try. “But dammit Y/N, I don’t want you to go. I want to give us a chance. Please, Y/N. Please stay.” 

He leaned over and pressed a kiss to your forehead and lingered there for a moment. Maybe this was it. Letting go of another person and helping them move on. He pulled back slowly and felt your fingers lace through his. When he looked down, your eyes were open. 

“Charlie?”

-

General Tag: @rae-gar-targaryen; @takemepedropascal; @childhood-imagination;  @mylovegoesto; @yellowbadgergirl; @itmejado; @suckmyapplejacks

[goalieprotectionsquad]

so i’ve watched like three straight days of maine cabin masters and my idiot ass is thinking of the harringtons having a cute little cabin on a lake in maine where they went every summer as a family before his dad started making bank and didn’t have the time anymore.

it’s been seventeen years since steve’s been up there. he doesn’t live at home anymore. he has a job that doesn’t really make him happy, but doesn’t really make him miserable, either. he has plenty of savings from the government coverup but doesn’t have anywhere to go with it. nothing to spend it on. the kids get older. they leave for college. he’s in his mid-twenties and complacent and isn’t all that motivated to change anything.

he gets dinner with his parents when they’re in town in the spring. his mom is talking about a lodge they stayed in when they visited basque country over christmas and he suddenly remembers the cabin. he waits until his mom is done relaying unimportant details like the color of the drape tassels to ask his dad if they still have the cabin in maine, and it’s evident on his face that he’d forgotten about it, too. he looks sort of wistful for a moment but it passes quickly. yeah, they still own it. no, nobody’s been up there in a while. steve doesn’t really think before he’s saying, “can I take a trip up there?”

his parents stare at him for a second like they’re surprised he’s actually interested in doing something, which. not unfair. his dad can’t remember where he put the keys but gives steve the address and tells him to find a locksmith who can get him inside. (steve plans on elbowing through a window or something to save on time and the hassle).

he subleases his apartment and leaves. everyone he likes is either away at school or just. away. moving on with their lives. he doesn’t have anyone to say goodbye to beyond telling his boss he’s quitting.

it takes a while to get up there, but he does, eventually. the cabin is hard to find and it looks so bad on the outside that steve has to triple check the address on the adjacent cabins to make sure it’s the right place. he thinks it’s maybe not just him who hasn’t been here in almost twenty years.

he stays in a hotel and gets up early to meet the contractor. she looks like she’s holding in a laugh when she introduces herself as kali. “look,” she says. “I’m going to be straight with you. this place is literally falling apart.”

steve doesn’t know what to say so he says, “yeah.”

“we can do a walkthrough,” she continues, “but I guarantee that this is going to make your budget look like pocket change.”

steve doesn’t really want to say it’s his dad’s money, so he shrugs and says, “let’s do it,” and watches her pick the lock.

the foundation is rotted out. the floor is rotted out. the porch is rotted out. she points at things and says any variety of that has to go or we’d start by taking that out or when was the last time you were up here again? they need to hire a plumber and a landscaper and an electrician and probably an exterminator, too, and kali doesn’t say anything when she watches him write a check for half the amount she quotes. she gives him a calculating look with kohl-rimmed eyes and says, “all right. we’ll be here tomorrow morning.”

steve shows up at seven because he doesn’t have anything better to do and there’s already a truck parked outside. a tall guy with a beanie shoved low over his forehead is tearing the porch off the front of the house and steve goes over to him and tries not to get hit with any falling debris.

“hi,” he says and has to stand there a minute before the guy looks at him. “I’m steve. is kali around?”

she’s inside the cabin and is leaning over the sink when steve walks in. she yells no. no. no. out the open window to her right as the water continues to run and then yes that’s it we got it as it cuts off abruptly. she looks unsurprised when she turns around and sees him standing in the doorway.

“hi,” he says again. “I’m here to help.”

“you’re paying us to do this for you, you know,” she says, but something in her face makes steve feel like she gets it.

a guy with his hair pulled into a tight bun at the nape of his neck hoists himself through the front door from where the porch used to be. “hey,” he says, all silk, when he sees steve.

“billy, this is steve harrington. the homeowner.” she stresses the word enough that steve literally cannot not notice the emphasis. billy rolls his eyes and shakes steve’s hand. it’s rough with calluses and steve would be stupid not to think about what that would feel like on his skin.

“billy hargrove,” he says. “head carpenter.”

“steve’s here to help with demo,” kali says. 

“well,” billy says. he gives steve one of the most obvious once-overs he’s ever seen. “welcome aboard. you’re gonna help me knock down these interior walls, pretty boy. heads up, though. you might break a nail.”

billy shows him how to use a stud finder and how to cut into the walls to make sure there aren’t any loose wires running through it and then he fucking kicks the wall in and gives steve a wild grin as the drywall dust settles into his blond hair.

steve comes back every day to see billy. he doesn’t even bother lying to himself. billy is funny and sharp and always seems to have a comeback for anything anyone ever says. he shows steve how to build things. stands at his shoulder and watches him use the staple gun on the trim. brings him lunch when he goes out to get food for the rest of the crew.

he tells steve that his mom sent him to live with a friend who had moved from san diego to bangor a few years before. his parents split and she didn’t want him living with his dad. he says susan is a little ditzy but she means well, and she didn’t give up on him during his rougher years in high school even though he isn’t even her kid. he calls her daughter my sister and gets a pinched expression on his face when he talks about how she’s been going through her teenage angst since she was eight and how they’re still figuring out how to not always be at each other’s throats.

it takes a month for them to take out the rotted lumber and to fix the foundation and floor and porch and roof. billy shows steve the crumbly mess in the insulation that means he has an ant infestation. steve helps make the framing for the bathroom and bedroom walls and helps lay the stones for the walkway down to the lake. he spends all day at the work site, then he goes back to the hotel, has dinner, crashes. rinse and repeat. he spends the days the crew isn’t working exploring sort of idly and missing the smell of sawdust. 

when kali declares the place habitable, he buys a mattress and drops it onto the floor of the master bedroom, which is still missing its walls. he checks out of the hotel and buys some groceries and spends his evenings down at the lake, his own private little waterfront. he tries reading but the only salvageable book in the cabin is walden and he can’t make it past the first page.

he hears axel and mick talking about a meteor shower one night. once the crew is gone and the sky is turning purple-navy, he goes down to the lake and lays back to look at the stars. they’re brighter out here, brighter than hawkins, somehow, and the sky feels endless.

he turns to look over his shoulder when he hears footsteps crunching through the undergrowth in his direction. “just me,” billy calls through the dark. he drops down heavily next to steve and passes over a beer and a hamburger wrapped in greasy foil. casual, like they do this all the time. his hair is down and curly and he’s wearing a red shirt unbuttoned to his navel, where it’s tucked into his jeans. he’s wearing cologne, too, and billy smiles when he sees it get steve’s attention.

they talk and they sit in comfortable silence and then they talk again. billy seems to be getting closer and closer until their shoulders and thighs are pressed together and their elbows are knocking. when billy turns to look at him, their noses almost brush, and steve knows billy doesn’t miss the way his eyes drop to his mouth.

“have you swam in the lake yet?” he asks instead and gives steve a wicked smile when he shakes his head, and then he’s up and stripping down and is in the water, wet hair slicked back over his head, before steve’s brain has even puttered beyond looking at billy’s mouth. “come on it, pretty boy! water’s fine.”

he unabashedly watches steve undress and reaches for him immediately once he’s in the water. no preamble. just. puts a hand on his hip. when steve doesn’t move back, he slips an arm around steve’s waist, and then the other. their knees bump under the water and billy noses at steve’s cheek. kisses him on the chin and the corner of his mouth before he kisses his bottom lip. they kiss and kiss, the water not even up to their collarbones, and steve has never been so aware of the night noises around them. cicadas in the trees. a loon some ways away. something shrieks in the distance and it startles steve enough that he stumbles in billy’s grip, and billy tightens his hold and tilts his chin closer again and whispers, “it’s just a fisher cat,” into the crease of his lips.

they start heading back to the cabin before billy makes them double back for the food wrappers and beer bottles and steve grabs their clothes so he has something to do with his hands. he’s never run naked through the trees before but there’s something freeing about it. for some reason, the trees out here don’t look as threatening as the ones in hawkins. maybe they’re older, wiser. maybe they’ve seen more and know how to protect him and billy from whatever else is out there.

steve clears away the painting tarp over the bed and barely has it on the ground before billy is crowding against him, skin dry but hair dripping at the ends over his freckled shoulders. they lose track of time in a cabin they rebuilt together.

billy’s hand on his chest is what wakes him up. the sun is filtering in through the windows and billy is trying to press a mug of coffee into his hands. steve doesn’t own mugs or coffee or a coffee maker out here. steve sits up and leans against the wall, right where they’ve sketched out the custom headboard billy’s going to help him carve, and lets the blanket pool around him in a way that has billy’s gaze dropping, the apples of his cheeks going a little pink. he looks good in the morning sun, in the little bits of dust floating through the air. 

“where’d you find the coffee maker?” steve asks. “and the change of clothes?”

billy gives him a big shark smile but sounds a little sheepish when he says, “I was hedging my bets on needing morning provisions.”

steve makes them eggs and bacon and toast and they sit out on the new front porch to eat and wait for the rest of the team to show up. billy keeps leaning in to kiss his ear, the hinge of his jaw, the side of his neck. just pecks. they still set steve on fire.

billy stays that night, and the next, and the next, and the next. they go swimming for real, eventually, and play cards, and fall asleep outside in the grass with their fingers twisted together. out in the open as much as in their own little world.

kali knows something is going on between them, even if steve doesn’t know if billy told her or she figured it out herself. when it’s just the three of them in a room, billy likes to pitch his voice down, low enough to be husky, but loud enough to be overheard, and gives steve directions more gutturally than usual. pull out a little, he’ll say, all breathless, when they’re fitting the doorframes. now push it back in. harder. mm, yeah, steve. right there. steve doesn’t know if it’s meant to be embarrassing or not but he laughs himself red in the face anyway.

they finish the cabin over the next six weeks. if steve hadn’t been there every day for almost three months, he might have thought he’d gotten the address wrong. it looks like a house, first of all. the outside is a soft brown to blend into the trees. there’s a little living room with a couch and a little table with two artfully mismatched chairs in the kitchen. there’s a huge window in the master bedroom overlooking the lake. steve has never really felt drawn to the water as a non-great-lakes-midwestern kid, but every time he looks out over the lake, he wonders if he even wants to go back to hawkins.

it feels weird giving kali the second half of the payment, knowing he won’t see her again. he hugs her and she pats him awkwardly on the elbows until he lets go. one by one, the rest of the team leaves, and it’s not until steve’s standing alone in the fading sunlight that he realizes that billy’s gone, too.

it’s the first time billy’s just left without saying anything about where he was going and when he was coming back. that deep, dark part of steve says they were just fooling around during the job, but he drinks a beer and talks himself out of panicking. he makes himself a sandwich. lays in the bed. showers. doesn’t really know what to do with himself now that the job is done and billy is gone.

he’s laying on the couch and staring up at the ceiling when the sound of a key scraping in the lock has him on his feet on instinct to do -- something, he didn’t really think that far ahead -- but then the door wedges open and billy’s head appears around it.

“sorry,” he says when he sees steve still gaping. “didn’t mean to scare you. we just -- kali forgot to give you back your spare.”

steve watches him reach out and hang the key ring around the hook next to the door. it overlaps steve’s set.

“oh,” steve says. “thanks.”

billy gives him a little smile and looks like he’s going to leave, but then they’re both saying wait in the same moment and billy’s smile reappears around the door, wide but shy.

“stay,” steve says.

billy slides the rest of the way past the door. he has a small duffle thrown over the shoulder steve couldn’t see behind the door and he’s holding a bottle of cheap grocery store champagne.

“I was hoping you’d say that,” billy says. now that steve’s shown his hand, it’s  like billy’s found his footing again. he drops his bag and goes over to the cabinet to pull out two mugs, sets them on the counter. he wraps an arm around steve where’s he’s drifted over without really meaning to. billy kisses the corner of his mouth and presses the bottle into his hands. the foil is already peeled off the cork. “I heard you’re celebrating a housewarming. you wanna do the honors?”

[purplesurveys]

1269

Last thing you bought online? Did you like it? OMG OMG so I got Angela an Army Bomb!!!!!! for her birthday!!!! It was HELLLL looking for sealed ones that were already onhand, but fortunately I was able to find one from this really nice seller a few days ago and the shipping was quick as well. I’m just a little worried because the outbox has a little dent on it :( but it was the best onhand offer I could find so I got it before anybody could call dibs. I still hope she likes it! I got her batteries too so that she can try lighting it up as soon as she has it. :D

Could you date someone who didn’t drive (and didn’t show an interest in ever getting their license, either)?  I feel like this is such a petty thing to make a big deal about...if they knew how to commute or any other way to get to their destination, I don’t think this should be a problem. It would only be an issue to me if they refused to get a license in a very I-generally-lack-ambition kind of way.

How would you react if your artwork became famous?  I don’t have any to show off to begin with. I love appreciating art, but creating it was never a forte of mine.

Would you get your nipples pierced?  No, I don’t plan on getting any piercings. How many people know your birthday?  Outside of my family, my best friends. I think everyone else relies on Facebook to be reminded, which is fine with me.

Has anyone ever tried to ruin a relationship you were in?  No. Quite the contrary, really...I was sometimes informed about red flags taking place, which of course my stubborn ass ignored.

Have you ever watched a whole hour long infomercial?  Probably, as a kid. The channel from which I used to watch WWE aired these really long infomercials so I would watch those while waiting for like Raw or whatever show was going on after.

What is your current MySpace song?  I never hung out on Myspace. I had an account, but I was too young for it so it wasn’t long before I got bored.

What is your favorite kind of meat to put on your sandwich?  Pulled pork or fried chicken.

Which one of your exes do you feel like you have the most chemistry with?  I only have one ex.

How do you feel about people who make Facebook profiles for their pets? I find it really cute. But I personally wouldn’t put in as much effort lol.

Have you ever personally known a pair of conjoined twins?  Hmmmmmmmm I don’t think so.

What was the most disturbing thing you have ever heard your mother say? She threatened suicide in front of me and my dad in a very calm way when I was around 11, I think? Maybe 12, idk. I haven’t actually thought about that moment in an extremely long time until this question. I’ll move on now and shove the memory at the very very back of my head before I get sad.

Is there something in particular you like to look at photos of? What is it?  Aside from members of BTS (lol), interior design inspirations.

Chewy chocolate-chip cookies: like or dislike?  Ooh, love. When I bite into a cookie it hassssss to ooze chocolate, otherwise I would be underwhelmed.

If your boyfriend/girlfriend wanted to dress only in the opposite sex’s clothing, would you support that? If not, would you leave them?  Support.

Do you think your grandmother is/was beautiful?  They both are.

Which of your fields of interest are you a total expert on?  Anything that has to do with writing (except poems), I guess? I like being able to give people advice and tips when it comes to that.

When was the last time you got all dolled up?  Last July when we had a big PR media launch thingy and I couldn’t afford to look like shit on Zoom.

Do you ever name objects? (i.e. mp3 players, guitars, cars, etc.)  Never.

Do you have a criminal record?  Not criminal but it’s possibleeeee that I have some kind of record on my license from the time I got stopped by an officer in Alabang, lmao. It was a minor offense from a tiny part of the town so I don’t actually know if they filed it, but it’s possible.

Last person you took a nap with?  I don’t really nap with other people. I hate falling asleep in front of others to begin with.

Does seeing your mother cry automatically make you feel sad as well?  No.

Do you think someone likes the same person you like?  I don’t like anybody.

Do you want your life to stay the way it is right now forever?  No, I do not want to stay in a pandemic and not get to maximize my life the way it’s supposed to be enjoyed forever.

Have you ever been to craigslist.com?  I’ve never checked it out; idk if we have that here?

What about eBay?  I also dunno if they operate here so no, I’ve never bothered.

Have you ever used Nair?  Not Nair, but I’ve used Veet before.

Are you medicated?  Nope.

Do you shape/fill in your eyebrows?  I never do stuff to my eyebrows except shave them.

Have you ever stolen/borrowed clothes from an ex?  Several articles of clothing were left behind here, yeah. I never had the chance to give them back because I stupidly thought we were going to get back together eventually. By the time I moved on the timing was already off, so the clothes stayed with me untillll...just a few days ago, actually – when I finally cleaned up my room and got rid of a bunch of knickknacks that accumulated here over the years, including all her shirts and sweaters and stuff.

Could you make a statement about anything political?  The 2022 presidential election landscape looks like complete shit and I’m nearly at that point where I want to stop giving a fuck about this country’s future.

Do you think you’ve already met your soulmate?  No.

Do you get the feeling something good will happen in your life soon?  I think I’m already living in it, haha.

Do you enjoy romantic movies, even when they’re cliche?  Sure, but cliché is also hit and miss for me. I love Titanic and Love Actually, but I cannot stand movies like Me Before You and The Notebook. I guess it depends on certain executions, like the acting, screenplay, casting, etc.

Have you been to McDonald’s in the past month?  No, not inside. We did drive-thru within the last month, though.

Have you ever slept over at your best friend’s house?  Not at Andi’s, but I have at Angela’s.

How often do you go bowling?  Extremely rarely. I can’t tell you the last time I went bowling.

Last time you were in an apartment?  Like 2007 when I visited my aunt back when she still lived in one. None of my friends have their own apartments.

Have you ever seen a live seahorse?  I don’t think so.

Would you like to have your own yacht? I mean I wouldn't say no if you offered it to me for free, but I'm not exactly interested in one. < Same.

Winnie the Pooh or Tigger?  Tigger always made me laugh as a kid.

What’s the unhealthiest thing you’ve eaten today?  Luncheon meat, I think? I didn’t go overboard with the junk food today.

Has a stranger ever offered to buy you a drink?  Hm, not that I can recall.

What is something you’d be happy to receive as a gift, that doesn’t cost a lot?  A bag of the salted egg chips that I really like costs like 30 bucks, or roughly 60 US cents.

What kind of music does your significant other/crush like to listen to?  I don’t have any irl crushes, can I use a celebrity crush instead? HAHA he’s heavily into jazz and whenever he gets asked for music recos he always gives jazz artists from like the 50s and 60s.

Who did you have your first kiss with? Do you remember what colour his/her eyes were?  Gab. Dark brown.

Are there any themes from TV shows that you like to sing along to? The Big Bang Theory and Friends; and then I also liked humming to the themes of Breaking Bad, The Walking Dead, and BoJack Horseman. The Phineas & Ferb theme was also a lot of fun to sing along to.

Do you eat dessert after dinner? No, I never do that. I’m usually already full after dinner, and we don’t always have sweets at home anyway.

Have you ever had too much to drink and felt embarrassed about your behavior the next day?  Sure.

When you go out drinking, what do you prefer to drink?  Cocktails. I very rarely go for hard drinks/shots, especially if I brought my own car.

What was the last animal that you saw?  Dog.

What was the last thing that you said to one of your siblings?  I just told my sister I was done using her laptop so she can have it back. My Memories of 2020 DVD turned out to be region-locked so I have to use her laptop every time I want to watch it :(

What is the most expensive thing that you’ve purchased that you paid for:  My Map of the Soul photobook cost me around 5k in total.

What is your favorite messaging program?  Messenger.

Do you eat fast food more than 5 times a week?  Wow no. Aside from being extremely unhealthy, that’s also a LOT of spending??

Have you ever almost drowned?  Yes.

Have you ever learned something shocking about someone through Facebook?  I mean I’ve had to learn about more than one family death through my Facebook feed, which sucks but is nothing I have control over. Otherwise the most shocking thing I’ve seen is probably classmates from high school having their own kids, but at this point I’m used to it already.

What’s the scariest living animal that you’ve petted?  I’m not really afraid of carrying/petting animals especially if there’s a guide or expert nearby, but the most daring one was probably the crocodile I volunteered to hold in Palawan.

Do you remember the first conversation you ever had with the person you currently have feelings for?  Not at all.

Do you dread certain days of the week? If yes, what day/s and why?  I hate Mondays for obvious reasons lol. I don’t know anyone who is actively cheery about reporting back to work.

If you eat oatmeal, do you have it plain or do you have certain toppings that you like to add to it?  I never eat oatmeal. I had that every single day for breakfast from like kindergarten to 4th grade and I vowed never to take a spoonful of it again.

What is the funniest or strangest thing you’ve ever heard somebody say in their sleep?  I dunno. I used to keep a log of the things my ex used to say in her sleep and a great deal of them were hilarious, but obviously I deleted that note a long time ago.

Choose one - Butterfinger, Milky Way, Snickers:  Butterfinger.

Do you use Mozilla Firefox? Nopes.

Who is your favorite person to hug? Angela and Laurice.

Have you ever had to have a mug shot?  Nope.

What was the last thing you carried to your room?  Kimi.

When was the last time you had a late night phone call?  WELL over a year ago.

[saedii-gilwraeth-simp]

Another World - TDC Holidays - Day 5

Like, comment and reblog please and thank you

DAY 5

AU: HIGH SCHOOL

POV: KATHARINE

I need a car was the conclusion Katharine came to when she nearly hurled in the school parking lot after stumbling off her sister’s motorcycle. Arsinoe chuckled as she rubbed her back and gently tugged the helmet off Kat’s head to let the fresh air in and Kat breathed, slowly standing up and glaring at the dangerous monstrosity her sister called “her baby.” Usually, she would ride in Mirabella’s car but their older sister was sick at home.

“Never doing that again,” Kat said as Arsinoe pulled their backpacks from the seat compartment and put Kat’s helmet in there, her own still perched under her arm. She locked the bike and cast Kat a look.

“It’s not even that bad, I don’t get what you and Mira don’t like about it,” Arsinoe says, handing her her pack. Kat growls, takes it and turns towards the front steps of their school. Arsinoe calls out to where Jules stands at the base of the steps before kissing Kat’s forehead. “I’ll meet you here after school, yeah?” Kat nods and Arsinoe jogs across the road to join her friends. Kat crosses after, not looking over at her sister. She knew Arsinoe would invite her over if she asked, but Jules, Joseph, Billy and Emilia were Arsinoe’s friends, not hers. She didn’t belong there.

She quickly darted up the stairs into their school, passing through the halls like a ghost to get to her locker. She unlocked it and tugged at it with all the force she could muster, growling at the jammed door.

Kat didn’t even notice the person coming up beside her until her locker swung open and hit something that went “umph.” Kat frowned and half closed her locker again to see a girl rubbing her nose. Kat winces and steps towards the girl, feeling awkward and guilty.

“I am so sorry, are you okay?” The girl nodded and Kat gently took her wrists so that she could check the girls face. She nearly swore.

She had just hit Bree Westwood, also known as the head cheerleader and second most popular girl in school, in the face with her locker. Shit. This was it, this was the end, the moment where no one would ever interact with her again. They watch each other for too long and Kat ignores the way her heart races under the scrutiny of this tall and pretty girl.

“I’m okay. Are you?” Bree says and Kat frowns in confusion, “no one opens a locker that aggressively if they’re perfectly fine,” she clarifies and Kat nods in understanding.

“I’m fine, the door just got stuck so… yeah,” she says rubbing her arm nervously. “Sorry about hitting you in the face,” Bree laughed and Kat rubbed the back of her neck nervously.

“It’s fine, locker grate bruises are all the rage these days,” Bree affirms, her voice warm. The bell goes off behind them and Kat jumps slightly. “I’ll see you around Kat Queen,” she winks and then is gone.

~

“I’m just saying that the greatest bop of all time is Shania Twain’s ‘Man! I feel like a Women’ followed by Nelly Furtado’s ‘Promiscuous’ and then the entire Queen discography,” Arsinoe rants as Kat sits beside her, gesticulating like she’s a professor on the subject. Her table laughs and Kat questions her sister’s sanity.

“I think you’re too deep in nostalgia. Modern rappers have changed the landscape of what consists of a bop,” Billy contests, waving to Kat. Arsinoe turns to her boyfriend, pointing a fork in his face.

“Is this your way of saying you think ‘WAP’ should be at the top of this list? Oh and Kitty, Bree Westwood is staring at you,” Arsinoe says the first part with incredulity and the second so fast Kat almost doesn’t catch it. Kat snorts before her brain registers all of the information. She looks over to the “popular table” and catches Bree Westwood indeed staring right at her, warm honey eyes curious and smiling. Kat smiles back with a small wave, hoping that the bright fluorescents of the cafeteria washed away the blush striped across her cheeks. Bree winked at her and the blush got worse.

“Arsinoe, what’s she like?” Kat leans over and asks into her sister’s ear. Arsinoe turns and considers the question.

“Mira says she’s nicer than you might think. If you want to talk to her you should. Get out there again, y’know?” Arsinoe assured her gently. Kat nodded and stood from the table.

“I’m gonna go practice my piano,” Arsinoe nods and squeezes Kat’s arm lovingly.

~

Arsinoe is unsuccessfully trying to coax Kat back onto her motorbike when someone behind her calls her name.

Grateful for the opportunity to stall, Kat turns, only to begin to wonder whether the motorbike would have been a better option. Bree Westwood approaches her and Kat tries not to be distracted by the fact that she’s in her cheerleading uniform because that amount of leg and what it does to Kat’s heart should be considered criminal.

“Hi Bree,” Kat says awkwardly, “What’s up?”

“Hey Kat,” Bree says happily. “I was wondering if you might like to get dinner with me on Friday night? Like, a date?” Kat doesn’t speak, her brows furrowing in confusion. She thanks everything that that is the moment Arsinoe nudges her in the shoulder blade.

“Uh, I- yeah, that sounds good,” Kat stammers and Bree smiles so wide Kat assumes it hurts her and then skips off.

“Get it Kitty,” Arsinoe says as she pushes a cycle helmet into Kat’s arms.

~

“I can’t believe you’re going on a date with my best friend,” Mirabella murmurs as she helps Kat get ready for her date. Kat hasn’t been able to stop blushing. “It’s so exciting,” she continues as she puts a light layer of makeup on Kat.

“Yeah, nicely done Kitty,” Arsinoe affirms from her perch leaning against the bathroom doorframe. “But text me if it starts going badly, I’ll make up some emergency,” Kat snorts gently.

“With you, it’s not often that you have to make up an emergency,” she teases and Mirabella puts down the mascara wand, giggling.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, I am a completely responsible young adult who never gets herself involved in emergencies,” Arsinoe says, sticking her nose in the air snottily. Mirabella seems to not be able to handle it, wheezing heavily as she laughed, curling over, coughing the dryness from her cold-impacted throat. It’s impossible that Kat and Arsinoe won’t also catch the same cold next week and the week after that respectively, but for now, they giggle closer to each other.

Finally, finally, they manage to sit up and Mirabella finishes Kat’s makeup. The doorbell rings and before Kat can stop her, Arsinoe is out of the bathroom and undoubtedly sliding down the stair banister even though Mirabella asks her to walk down the stairs every day. Mira helps her to her feet on the low silver heels she wears.

“You’ll be fine, Bree is super nice,” she says, before letting Kat go in front of her down the stairs.

“… and have her home by 11, which is a really chill curfew, so don’t break it,” Kat hears as she comes to stand next to Arsinoe’s shoulder, finally seeing Bree, looking like something out of her dreams with a sky blue dress that reveals miles of leg and makes her eyes pop.

“11, got it. Hi Kat, you ready?” Bree says with a smile of a thousand suns. Kat took a breath.

“I’m ready,” she takes Bree’s hand and lets her lead Kat to her car.

Tag List: @poisonerrose​, @nataliaarronn​

[musical-shit-show]

Two Sides: Chapter 2

Previous Chapter: (1)

Characters: Musical!Beetlejuice, Female!OC, Lydia Deetz, Barbara Maitland, Adam Maitland

Warnings: swearing, anxiety/mild panic attack, supernatural stuff, strange dreams (?)

Word Count: 1432

Author’s Note: Okay I’m not sure if anyone is reading this, but sorry about the wait on Chapter 2! I have been swamped with work this past week and don’t have a lot of time to edit chapters without my roommate getting sus. Plus ya girl stares at a laptop from 9 to 5 every day (yay pandemic) so it takes a toll on my eyes. 

Anyways, this is basically another set up chapter, but it does get a little wild as the two girls show up to the Deetz/Maitland house. If you like this story so far, please like and/or reblog! Also if you have any words of wisdom for writing or just wanna chat, my ask box is open! I mentioned that I would be doing asks and putting up a prompt list, and I’ll hopefully get around to doing that this weekend, I’m just a procrastinator. 

Okay I’ll stop rambling. Here’s Chapter 2!

Chapter 2

Cassandra was awoken from her hazy slumber with a jolt of a car brake. “We’re here!” Lydia exclaimed gleefully, dropping her usual mellow persona.

Cassandra blinked purposefully, strange images from a dream flashing in her vision. Stripes, vibrant green, a snakelike creature…the pictures in her mind made her feel uneasy, but she brushed them aside as she unloaded her small duffle bag from the backseat of Lydia’s car.

The house looked normal enough. Large, white and Victorian-era, it sat atop a comically round hill, looking picturesque against the rural landscape. Lydia bolted in front of her roommate, the small black suitcase she had brought rattling against the gravel driveway. Cassandra giggled to herself. She hadn’t seen Lydia this excited in a long while. As the girls made their way up the steep hill, movement on the second floor caught Cassandra’s eye. No figure was visible, but the brown-haired girl did notice the flutter of the white drapes that framed the window as they inched closer to the house. Cassandra stared up for a few more seconds before shaking her head following Lydia up the rest of the driveway.

“I can’t wait for you to meet them!” she called, Cassandra several steps behind her. Lydia’s father, Charles, and stepmother, Delia, would not be keeping the girls’ company on this particular visit. Charles was a real-estate mogul, and Delia was a life coach giving motivational speeches across the country. The only people in the house this weekend were Lydia’s aunt and uncle, both of whom Cassandra knew nothing about.

Despite her unusual dream, Cassandra tried to match Lydia’s enthusiasm. “Yeah, from what you’ve told me about them, they sound awesome!” The girls reached the door, and for a brief moment, Lydia hesitated, her hand stiff on the doorknob. Cassandra furrowed her brow slightly.

Though Lydia had been excited about finally introducing Cassandra to her ‘aunt and uncle’, she had grown more uneasy the closer they got to the house. What if she had a total meltdown? Sure, Cassandra had a passive interest in the supernatural, but not to the level Lydia had when she was younger; her roommate was far more normal, which could lead to a bit of scene when she found out the truth.

“Cassie, there’s something I need to tell you before you meet Adam and Babs,” Lydia started, “They’re well…they’re different. But you need to promise that you won’t be mad at me or freak out.” Cassandra grew worried at Lydia’s words, her heartbeat increasing rapidly as a small panic set in. How could they possibly be weird by Lydia’s standards? Were they nudists? Swingers? Republicans?

“Lyds, don’t worry,” Cassandra replied, doing her best to ease herself and her best friend, “I’m sure whatever it is, I’ll be fine. They’re your family and I want to get to know them.” With a knowing shrug, Lydia opened the creaky front door. She had a feeling this wasn’t going to end well, but it was time to let the chips fall where they may.

Lydia wanted to tell Cassandra before this point, she really did. But how do you casually mention to your roommate that you used to live with two ghosts? Lydia wasn’t very trusting with people, especially when it came to Adam and Barbara. She had grown to love Cassandra like a sister, but the longer she waited, the more awkward it would’ve become to explain. By Lydia’s twisted logic, it was best to just show her best friend the craziness she was getting herself into.

“Babs! Adam!” Lydia called, straightening her suitcase to face upright, “I’m home!” Cassandra felt a chill wrack through her entire body, though there wasn’t a single gust of wind coming from outside of the house. Suddenly, two figures appeared out of thin air. Cassandra’s blood turned ice cold. ‘Did they just fucking materialize out of nowhere?’ she thought, feeling a bead of sweat forming on her brow, ‘Am I losing my goddamn mind?’

The couple that stood before them looked ordinary enough, apart from the fact that they clearly possessed some kind of supernatural powers. Barbara was blonde, doe-eyed and was grinning ear-to-ear. Her husband, Adam, only stood a few inches higher than her, and had square-framed glasses perched atop his light brown hair. They greeted Lydia with excited squeals, enveloping her in a warm, three-person hug. They looked like they’d fit perfectly on the cover of Country Living magazine or in line at a Trader Joe’s checkout. 

Cassandra was gripping the strap of her duffle bag tightly, a wave of nausea and confusion crashing over her. Her brain was firing rapidly as she attempted to sus out how these two seemingly normal people just magically appeared.

“Oh Lydia, we’re so glad to see you!” Adam said, the timbre of his voice warm and slightly nasally. He wrapped the smaller girl in a bear hug, lifting her a few inches off of the ground. Though Lydia was preoccupied trying to gauge Cassandra’s reaction, she embraced Adam, smiling slightly.

“It’s been way too long,” Barbara added as Adam deposited Lydia back onto the floor. Barbara turned to finally notice Cassandra, who was seconds away from a panic attack. The older woman, completely oblivious, beamed at the other girl, “Oh, and this must be your roommate!” She went in for a hug, but stopped in her tracks when she saw Cassandra’s strained expression.

“Lydia, what’s going on?” she said quietly, “Does your family typically….uh, teleport from one place to another?” Barbara and Adam looked at each other, confused expressions painted across their faces.

“I knew this would happen,” Lydia said under her breath, cursing herself for not telling her roommate sooner. She collected herself, running a hand through her short black bob, “Okay, Cassie…Barbara and Adam aren’t my aunt and uncle. They lived in this house before my dad and I moved in when I was in high school. They, well, they died here. They’re ghosts, technically speaking.”  Adam and Barbara shifted uncomfortably.

The supernatural was not a subject that was completely foreign to Cassandra. She had always had a slight interest in the macabre, she just had no idea that her best friend and roommate’s life was intertwined with ghosts. Actual ghosts.

“You didn’t tell her?!” Adam said, bewildered. He folded his arms across his chest, clearly disappointed in Lydia. Barbara touched his shoulder, trying to ease her husband’s frustration.

“She wouldn’t have believed me!” Lydia defended, “I had to show her for myself.” Lydia and Adam bickered back and forth before all three turned to Cassandra, who hadn’t spoken a word in a few minutes. Finally, she collected herself, the others waiting with baited breath at her response to all of the madness.

“I’m not angry,” she stated plainly, doing her best to steady her breathing, “This is actually, uh, really fucking cool.” Lydia’s eyes brightened at her roommate’s words. She knew if anyone would understand her and her family, it was Cassie. “But,” she continued, “I need time to process the whole ‘ghosts are real and are also best friends with my roommate’ thing. So, is it alright if I go upstairs and we can talk more about this later?”

“Of course,” Adam replied apologetically, “We’re sorry. Had Lydia told us—” he shot a glare at her, “—that you didn’t know we were, uh, dead, we would’ve tried to appear more…normal.”

“It’s, it’s fine,” Cassandra said, wiping the sweat from her hands nervously on her jeans, “Lydia’s right, I was gonna find out eventually. Why not rip the Band-Aid off, huh?” Barbara smiled. She and Adam were quickly taking a liking to Cassie. She was funny and understanding, especially considering the circumstances. Cassie climbed the steps, her suitcase bumping into the back of her legs.

Lydia smiled at the Maitlands as Cassandra disappeared to the second floor. “I’m sorry, I tried to think of a plan and I should’ve called and—” Barbara shushed the young woman, placing a hand lovingly on her shoulder.

“We understand,” Barbara said knowingly, “But, Lydia, did you tell her about…you know…? Lydia furrowed her brow and let out a frustrated sigh. She knew this conversation would be coming her way. She knew he would come up eventually.

“No, and I don’t intend to,” Lydia stated firmly, “He should be far away from this house, at least for this weekend. We just need to make it three days, and then I’ll tell Cass. I promise.”

‘Oh, Lyds’ Beetlejuice thought, grinning as he hid in a dark corner of the house, ‘I love it when you’re wrong.’

------

Ooooh it’s finally bug man time!!! Hope you enjoyed this chapter (if anyone is reading lol). Like and reblog if you can! Thanks :)

[dibidibifiction]

Criminal In My Mind: Chapter 4

Warning: foul language

Pairing: Choi Minho x Reader Word count: 1.6k

Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction made for personal entertainment of readers. The writer does not ever intend to offend her readers nor does she aim to spread false information about anyone as to pay any disrespect to the real-life persons whom the characters are based on. She also does not claim ownership to any of the images that are being used.

masterlist Chapter 3

MINHO

I tend to check up on Taemin every time I see him on campus ever since he got beaten up a week ago. So far, nobody has been following him anymore. My shift at the café has just ended and now, I’m cleaning myself up a little bit for our Landscape Photography class at three, which is in twenty minutes. 

So I hurry up, grab my backpack, bow to Manager Jinki goodbye, and head out the glass doors.

I’ve been studying at this school for over a year now and no one has attempted to befriend me but Taemin. He’s the only one who bothers to ask me to hang out with him and his friends, yet I always ignored him. This may sound cheesy but I kind of appreciate him that way. I don’t know why I’m just realizing this now.

I’m just walking to class when suddenly, I feel a cold breeze touch my skin, chills down my spine follows. A man from afar reveals himself right before my eyes, wearing the hood of his jacket over his head. 

I stop abruptly. Why is he staring at me? I’m starting to sweat and my heart decides to beat faster than it should, as if telling me to panic. 

I attempt to run the other way but I bump into Taemin. He seems frightened. Was he walking behind me all this time?

“Minho Hyung,” his eyes widen. “Are you okay? You look pale.”

“I’m fine,” I lie.

“Let’s go to class together.”

I fake a smile and glance back at the spot where I saw the familiar presence, but he’s gone.

. . .

I managed to come through during class since I have a growing passion for photography. It kind of distracted me from what I encountered earlier. 

What I love most about photography is that it’s instantly still with just a click of a button on the camera. You can edit things the way you want it and create something else out of them. But something about its steadiness gets to me and calms me down. I hadn’t known that I had this love for it until I finished high school since I lived my life unhappy and meaningless. I always thought it was too late to find my passion but if it wasn’t for my mother, I’d be wanting to kill myself today.

Now that class is over, I’m back to my fear. I swear I saw him die. Was that really him? How did he find me? How long has he been following me?

I step out of the building when Taemin calls out to me, running.

“Hyung!” He catches up. “Do you have class after this?”

“Yeah, Art History in about half an hour,” I answer him, trying to hide my sinking soul at the moment.

“Oh, okay. Do you have some time later to work on our assignment? I picked you as my partner,” he informs me, smiling.

I stare at him blankly. I must have missed something since I have no idea what he’s talking about. My thoughts are running in circles right now.

“Hyung?” 

“Oh,” I come to my senses. “Yes, sure. Come by my apartment tonight at eight. I’ll text you the address.”

“Great. I’ll buy us dinner,” he says, then runs towards his friends gathered around by the grass. 

. . . 

It’s all coming back to me at the same time. The huge dark room full of barrels, the echoing cries, all the drilling, guns firing. 

And the girl. I don’t remember her face, but what I do remember is her eyes. Her wide brown eyes always twinkled with tears. Her left iris had a distinct but subtle little white spot. I tried to look for her days after I lost her that night but she’s nowhere to be found. I just hope she’s alive and well to this day. It's a shame I didn’t get her name.

I jump awake from my deep thoughts when something thuds to the floor. It’s a book that was in Taemin’s hands. He's already fallen asleep on the couch. 

I turn to my wall clock and it’s already one in the morning. How long have we been working?

I decided to go out and buy drinks from the convenience store nearby. When I’m about to reach for my jacket on the armrest, Taemin shakes awake.

“What time is it?” he asks as he yawns, wiping drool off his chin.

“Ten past one. I’m going to the store. Do you want anything?”

“I’ll go with you. I don’t know what I want but I’m kinda hungry,” he says as he gets up and puts on his college hoodie.

So we go down from the apartment and walk to the nearest little grocery store which is just two minutes away. 

“How long have you known Y/n?” I ask Taemin, hoping to sound casual.

“She started working at my dad’s flower shop about three years ago. I was still in high school then and she was about to graduate college. My dad and I never met anyone before who is as passionate about flowers as she is. She reminds me a lot of my mom. The shop was originally hers, but then she died of ovarian cancer when I was eleven.”

“I didn’t know that. I’m sorry,” I sympathize.

“It’s okay. We’re lucky to have found Y/n Noona. Aside from handling the shop for us, she has been the big sister I never ha- Holy shit, speak of the devil!” His jaw drops as soon as he sees something ahead.

I follow his eye direction and to my surprise, there is Y/n walking wobbly toward our way, the high heels of her shoes almost twist her ankles. Is she drunk? Where did she come from? And why is she alone at this hour?

Taemin runs to her and grabs her when she almost falls forward. “Noona, you’re drunk again. Are you with someone?” he says, trying not to laugh.

“Oh, there’s my little Taemin!” she shouts despite their close distance. “When did you get so strong and handsome and all grown up?”

Taemin can’t contain his laughter now. He looks my way and mouths, Watch this. “Noona, wanna come home with me?” he says to her with a matching wink.

“Fuck no! Are you out of your mind?” She pulls him away. “I’m saving myself for someone special now. Someone worth my time. Do you have any idea how many guys I’ve dated? None of them came through for me and I’m sick of it! None of them even cared about how I felt,” she starts weeping.

I can’t help but chortle at the cute sound of her cry.

Taemin frowns. “That’s weird, she usually answers that question differently.”

“Hey, Y/n!” a charming guy with short-to-the-roots bleach blonde hair rushes toward her and hits her at the back of the head. “I’ve been looking everywhere for you. You got me fucking worried!” He looks out of breath.

“Kibum Hyung!” Taemin exclaims. They all seem to know each other. We’re currently in my neighborhood but I feel like the outsider.

Y/n flinches as she scratches her head at the spot where she got hit. 

“Are you okay?” I ask her in concern. 

She catches my eye and giggles. She slowly draws nearer toward me, then wraps her tiny arms around my neck so she can stand straight. 

“I might be dreaming but I think I finally found you,” she whispers as her face gets an inch closer to mine.

I swallow as my heart begins to skip a beat. I’d stare back into her eyes but they’re almost shut. Something about her scent mixed in with soju is pleasurably intoxicating. 

Before I know it, she leans in and softly touches her lips onto mine. Without a thought, I’m kissing her back after two seconds when she starts to open her mouth slightly as her tongue reaches out to mine. I suddenly feel goosebumps throughout my arms. My knees weaken and sweat starts to form on my scalp. My hands turn into fists for getting this urge to hold onto her waist but, for some reason, I can’t. I'm frozen.

At some point, she falls sideways to the ground but I come to my senses and somehow catch her.

I did not expect this at all.

. . .

I went to work at six this morning to open the café for the day. I usually almost never have a smile on my face when I wake up because I don’t really like waking up so early. But today, I can’t help but find myself jumpy and smiley. 

It is now half-past nine and customers have come in and left, minding their own perspective moments under the sun. 

The chime of the entrance catches my attention as I watch Kibum walk in. Even though he is still in his home wear and hungover, he still manages to look good. Maybe he has a natural talent for staying a gorgeous man no matter what state he’s in. With his gray shorts, plain white hoodie, and a pair of gold aviator glasses. 

He approaches the counter and sees me, “Oh, hey, it’s you. I didn’t know you work here.”

“Yeah, I do. I just started last week,” I smile back. “So what can I get you?”

“Hot low-fat latté and iced black coffee. Y/n’s coming in later. She’s still in bed moaning like a grandma,” he chuckles.

“Oh, right,” I nod. “How is she doing?”

“She’ll be fine. She’s always been like that when she drinks too much.”

“Good to know,” I am relieved to know. “Go on, have a seat and I’ll get your drinks ready.”

Chapter 5

[wigwurq]

WIG REVIEW: HILLBILLY ELEGY

I ACTUALLY WATCHED THIS MOVIE Y’ALL. I promised I would watch some Oscar movies instead of prestige TV shows with bad red wigs so I sorta did that: I watched Oscar bait. Because lordt knows this movie is not winning any Oscars (and if it does, it is truly the asterisk Oscars). THIS YEAR YOU GUYS. There is so much to discuss in this movie. Yes, the wigs too. Also there are lots of spoilers but here’s the thing: THIS MOVIE IS AWFUL AND YOU SHOULD ABSOLUTELY NOT WATCH IT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES AND INSTEAD JUST READ THIS REVIEW. I WATCHED THIS HORROR SO YOU DON’T HAVE TO! YOU ARE WELCOME! 

We begin in Kentucky 1997. AND EVERYTHING IS JUST SO KENTUCKY 1997. All landscapes/cars/people are beige and broken and depressed. We meet JD who is good at biking and saving turtles and spending the summer with his messed up family. HE IS ALSO A TERRIBLE ACTOR AS IS THE OLDER VERSION OF HIM. Important note: I did not read this book and the real JD is an awful Libertarian asshole and nothing about his story, his book, or this movie should be supported. I AM HERE FOR THE WIGS, Y’ALL. MOVING ON!

As promised, Glenn Close as JD’s grandma MAMAW (YES THAT IS HER CHARACTER NAME) looks exactly like Gene Shalit. A friend of mine made this comparison and I cannot unsee it. Amy Adams, straight off (ok maybe several years off?) deglamming for Sharp Objects is just completely frizzed (and kinda strung) out. These wigs are truly abominable as is this film. Anyway, they leave Kentucky and go back to Ohio where they live and where it is somehow more depressing than Kentucky. 

But ok the wig, y’all. Amy Adams hair is is as shitty and unmanageable as her character which might have been a choice? Still, this wig is a tangled, dried out nightmare that cannot be defended (nor can this character’s child abuse and drug problems). Within moments of returning to Ohio, Amy Adams scolds her child for allowing a gifted dog to pee on her wall to wall carpeting and then the cops have to break up a car slap fight (of her slapping her child!) that spills out into a neighbor’s house. SHE MIGHT BE THE WORST MOM IN HISTORY BUT SHE SHOULD DEFINITELY BE ARRESTED FOR WIG CRIMES.

ONTO GLENN CLOSE - SHE LOOKS LIKE GENE SHALIT. THE END. Whoever approved this wig is a huge fan of American film critic Gene Shalit sans mustache. It is the only possible explanation. AND THIS PATCHY MAKEUP. I CANNOT YOU GUYS. I realize that everyone was aiming for deglam Oscars but they went too far. 

ANYWAY. This film flashes between 1997 and 2011, where older JD (again also a terrible actor) is somehow in law school at Yale (OK?) and dating Freida Pinto who this film claims is normal law school age (FUN FACT: she’s 37). Older JD kind of has his life together other than the fact that all the snobs of law school cannot deal with this hillbilly kid who doesn’t know what a salad fork is. And then JD’s sister (played by Haley Bennett aka offbrand Jennifer Lawrence who I actually prefer more) calls and says that MOM IS IN TROUBLE PLEASE RUIN ANY LAW PROSPECTS AND COME HOME EVEN THOUGH MOM IS ABSOLUTELY THE WORST. AND HE DOES YOU GUYS!

Amy Adams’ 2011 wig/makeup/everything is probably the visualization of 2020? I assume this wig was made from leftover parts from Glenn Close’s Gene Shalit wig grafted onto a Halloween fright wig. It could very easily work for a swamp witch costume if you didn’t care about the quality of your swamp witch wig. IT IS THE WORST AS IS SHE. So she was in trouble because she overdosed on heroin...of course she did. After driving all night to get to Ohio, JD gets a call for a second interview at an important law whatever and just HAS TO GET BACK TO NEW HAVEN in the next like 6 hours which still feel like 600. The whole time he’s dealing with Amy Adams and her fright wig, it is a race against time to see if he’ll make it back and secure his future. I guess this is the plot of the movie? I could honestly not tell you. Basically the whole film (if you can call it that?) is strung together vignettes of strung out Amy Adams and yelling Glenn Close that never really add up to anything? BUT THERE IS SO MUCH YELLING ALWAYS. It’s like the opposite of a slow burn - it’s just constant flames and not the cool gay kind.

In any case, we flash back to the ‘90s where Amy Adams’ wig is basically everything Tonya Harding ever hoped and dreamed for (other than that Olympic medal...also Amy Adams would have been a much better casting choice in I, TONYA which had vastly superior wigs BUT I DIGRESS). We see how this drug habit developed - Amy Adams was a nurse and hoarded pills! This leads to the most truly outrageous film sequence I have seen in a long time where high as hell Amy Adams roller skates through the halls of the hospital where she works in her damn nurses scrubs and obviously immediately gets fired. Also her dad dies! Also she tries to kill herself and ends up screaming bloody murder (also covered in blood) in the middle of street and then goes to rehab (rehab doesn’t work). And then gets married to some rando. And then she gets some new job and needs JD to lend her some pee so she can still be a nurse. This all happens in the course of like 10 minutes.  Like I said, this movie is constant insane vignettes - it’s like 100 plots at once and also no plot at all.

And then JD - definitely out of nowhere - develops a gang of terrible drug addicted teenage friends (sure!) who steal/crash cars and make everyone super pissed at JD. ALSO! For reasons unknown or ever explained, Glenn Close ends up in the hospital herself and then has the realization that only she can save JD from his effed up life AND TEARS ALL THE IVS OUT OF HER ARM AND STORMS OUT OF THE HOSPITAL WITH NO CONSEQUENCES OR EXPLANATIONS AS TO WHY SHE WAS THERE IN THE FIRST PLACE! YOU GUYS. 

Also! JD tries to steal a graphing calculator for school from Radio Shack (this is for sure the most 90s sentence I’ve written in a while!) AND GLENN CLOSE IS PISSED! She lays down the law and also buys the graphic calculator herself even though that means they have to live off meals on wheels. BUT! Then he gets the best grade of the entire class on his math quiz and I DEMAND TO KNOW HOW HE KNEW HE HAD THE BEST GRADE IN THE ENTIRE CLASS AS THIS IS NEVER EXPLAINED OR SHOWN AND I NEED ANSWERS! Regardless, the graphing calculator not only saved JD’s grade point average but maybe set him on the path to Yale??? The concept that consumerism is the only thing that will help you as a “hillbilly” is really troubling and bespeaks the issues with this work of non-fiction as a whole. Anyway this movie really want you to know that GRAPHING CALCULATORS SAVE LIVES!!!

There is also a wig battle royale between Amy Adams and Glenn Close wherein there are absolutely no winners (but we, the viewer, definitely loses most!) It is honestly unclear to me how this fight ends (or how any fights end in this movie) because every interaction turns immediately into a fight and when said fight reaches its zenith, the movie cuts away to another vignette! Regardless, the wigs are complete garbage AS IS THIS MOVIE.

Back in 2011, Amy Adams refuses to be admitted to a rehab facility and older JD drives her back to her druggie boyfriend’s house which looks like this and I was like...hold up where have I seen this house before?

The answer is: 2010′s THE FIGHTER ALSO STARRING AMY ADAMS DEGLAMMING HERSELF FOR AN OSCAR SHE DIDN’T WIN! Ok actually in comparison, these houses aren’t that similar other than they are depressing houses with multitier front porches BUT STILL. 

Anyway, JD leaves Amy Adams and her sad swamp witch wig at some random motel where nothing is resolved between them at all and then he drives all night back to New Haven whilst talking to Freida Pinto on the phone (SHE NEEDS TO SLEEP TOO, DUDE! HOW DO YOU THINK SHE IS PLAYING 14 YEARS HER JUNIOR! SLEEP!) And then...he does get to the interview and....the movie ends!! WHAT!TRULY AND FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART: WHAT DID I JUST WATCH AND WAS IT A MOVIE? I STILL DON’T KNOW!

There is an epilogue of pictures of the real people and you guys: MAMAW LOOKED NOTHING LIKE GENE SHALIT. Also why do I even care about these real people???? Yes the real JD made something of himself....he wrote the book on which this movie is based and became a Libertarian asshole and worked with Peter Theil?!?! OK??? I guess the full story is in the epilogue? But this movie absolutely begins and ends nowhere and in between we are treated to a lot of nonsensical yelling and terrible, awful, no good wigs. I IMPLORE YOU: DO NOT WATCH THIS MOVIE!!!!!! MAYBE WATCH SOME YOUTUBE CLIPS OF GENE SHALIT INSTEAD! 

VERDICT: DOESN’T WURQ

[artvrov]

。· . ˙ ☀ ⌈ aron piper + cis male + he/him ⌋ yo , have you meet that POGUE , arturo vallez , yet ? — no ? well , to give you a little heads up before you do , they’re a TWENTY TWO year old , LANDSCAPER , and have been living in coston for TWENTY TWO years . since i’ve known them , they’ve reminded me of MEANINGLESS TATTOOS ETCHED UPON SUN KISSED SKIN , QUIET DINER BREAKFASTS IN COFFEE STAINED BAND TEES , THE THREE BUBBLES TYPING IN REPLY BUT DISAPPEARING JUST AS QUICKLY & LATE NIGHT DRIVES ALONG THE COAST . usually they’re quite LOYAL & RESILIENT but just make sure you keep an eye out for them around town because i heard can be quite IMPULSIVE & GULLIBLE as well so here’s hoping they aren’t the ones to undo this whole peace pact they have going on this summer . but just between you & me , i kinda hope it all falls apart . the rivalry keeps this whole boring town interesting .

SORRY I’M SO LATE !!!!!!! but hello everyone i’m caro and ... y’all i’ve been waiting forever to plot & write here with you !! i binged outer banks so FAST and then when i saw there was an rp based on it :’ ) i knew i had to bring my BIG DUMB BOY, arturo. okay, under the cut you can read up on him/ give this a LIKE and i’ll come bug ya for some plots.

& some 𝒃𝒂𝒔𝒊𝒄����

full name: arturo vallez nicknames: art, arty, turo age: twenty two date of birth: march 16th hometown: coston, north carolina preferred pronouns: he/him orientation: pansexual education: high school diploma occupation: landscaper, ( on the side, musician – drummer )

my little drummer boy, arturo – if you’re a pogue you definitely don’t call him by his full name it’s either art, arty or turo.

he is the eldest of three. he has two younger sisters and he is the classic Protective older brother.

his parents talk of their forbidden love -- his mother’s parents never actually approving of his father and to him and his sisters it always sounded so romantic how they eloped and came over to the states from spain. they immediately fell in love with the town of coston, deciding this is where they would settle down and have a family. together they definitely had their struggles figuring out their new life, but his parents gave all they could to ensure he and his sisters had a positive upbringing.

growing up was quite uneventful in the best of ways. had a pretty pleasant childhood. loving parents and a relatively healthy, happy family. he went through the normal awkward puberty phase, endured his share of teenage bullies, struggled his way through history & physics.

while he was always quite close to both of his parents, his father and him bonded over their love of music at quite a young age. arturo grew up knowing not to touch his dad’s vinyl as it was his sacred collection. still the boy would listen at any chance he got. hc arty layin in his livin room floor listenin to all the oldies. the rolling stones stan right here u will hear beast of burden blastin’ from his room

he had his own bond over music with his mother as well. as a young child she taught him basics on the piano – she wasn’t a teacher of any sort, but she taught him all she could until it was time to start taking lessons. piano lessons came first. he really wanted to jump right into guitar tbh, but he got looped into taking piano lessons. when he got to middle school you had to have a certain number of years in piano to take up percussion in his music class and guess who had those years of piano lessons under his belt !!! u guessed it arturo !!! this is where his love of the drums came !!!

this boy has a niche for instruments. it didn’t just stop with the piano and drums. arturo got his guitar lessons, went through a harmonica phase, he’s dabbled with a bass. he can write a melody better than he can write a text. once it comes to lyrics he’s done for – arturo just isn’t very good with words.

his parents always REALLY wanted him to go to uni, honestly but it just hasn’t been in the cards. their fam really couldn’t afford it, and there was no way arturo could afford it no matter how much he’s worked to save up. he’s always really wanted to go into computer science though.

so right now he’s a landscaper -- the company he works for does a lot of jobs in the figure 8 (possible connection that he’s doing work for a kook fam!!) and you’ll also see him doing the odd landscaping job at the coston resort if they ever hire on for bigger jobs.

he’s a drummer in a band (CALLING OTHER MUSICIAN POGUES be in a band with him pls), they really just play at dive bars and stuff nothin’ big

tbh arturo is an irresponsible mess most of the time.

he sleeps through his alarms – literally will wake up late in the afternoon every day, is constantly late to everything. all his closest pals know if u want turo to be On Time you have to tell him to get there at least a half hour before he really needs to be. on many occasions in his adolescence he has been fired from his jobs because of missing shifts/calling out

maybe u could see this coming, but he’s pretty much a night owl. he’ll stay up into the wee hours of the morn dickin around and sleep the day away.

says “oh baby!”, “nah” and “sick” way too much

overall pretty loud and outgoing

is extremely flighty and unreliable when it comes to all things romantic. although it doesn’t FEEL like it to him, he’s actually pretty charming.

wanted connections: ik i mentioned them up in the intro, but any pogue musicians that wanna form a BAND hmu !!! if you’re a kook and you are planning on doing some landscaping lmk because turo is probably on the Job. alright alright, so he really needs the basics ofc like FRIENDS: ride or die, a wingman pls this kid needs all the help he can get, his confidant, a sibling like bond, idk i could literally go on forever with friendship dynamics so pls we can brainstorm together!! CHILDHOOD PALS. ok he needs other computer nerds pls and lol on the other hand like where are the surfers at he needs some friends to surf with, exes on bad terms because lbh arturo probably fucked it up a lot, exes on good terms that are actually friends, hook ups, maybe someone he can write music with because he’s shit a shit lyricist, someone that will talk conspiracies with him, but honestly i would be so excited for literally any connection pls come plot with me !!!!

[hanniiesuckle17]

Boys vs. Girls

A/n: Not requested but thought this was a cute idea

Member: Vernon Chwe

WARNINGS: swearing, vernon being the cutest fluffing thing ever

Summary: Y/n loves her summer job as a camp counselor. She has been doing it ever since she was a sophomore in high school. Now it’s her second year in college and she still returns to Camp Moheom (Camp Adventure) in the mountains every year. But, for the past two years one of the boy cabin counselors just won’t leave her alone, especially when Cabin Competitions come around. 

Genre: fluff, comedy, camp counselor!au, summer!au, summer camp!au, acquaintance to lovers?!au. friends to lovers!au?, summer romance, college!au

The five and six year old girls ran around me and laughed in the summer air. Some of them were girls that returned year after year, but others were new faces. It didn’t matter though, I loved being a counselor at Camp Moheom. I loved the camp t-shirts and sweatshirts the staff got each year. The mountain air and landscape. Camp Competitions the last week of camp. And the hot boy counselors didn’t hurt either. 

“Y/n!” I turned hearing my name called from nearby. Hyojin, one of the other two girl counselors, was walking towards me with a bright smile on her face. “It’s almost time to head over to the rope course.” I checked my phone with the schedule on it and nodded. “Thanks! I’ll pack up why don’t you head on over with the girls.” She returned the bright smile an gathered all fifteen of our campers together.

“Oh, Y/n.” I looked up from one of the two backpacks a counselor was supposed to carry. “There was a change in schedule. The boys cabin is going to be joining us.” She said before walking off with the girls.

No. I didn’t mind the boys cabin. They’re campers were always relatively nice and sweet boys, as were most of the counselors. However, this summer,  Vernon Chwe had made it his mission to bother me every chance he got. I didn’t hate Vernon. We had been counselors together for the past two years. But, before this summer our encounters mostly consisted of polite small talk and staff meetings. Now every time he saw me he teased, poked, and flirted with me endlessly. I could not wait to kick his ass in Camp Comp. 

Last year the boys won Camp Competitions, but the girls were fired up this year. With a sigh I shouldered the bags and headed across the camp grounds When I got to the rope course, both cabins were already in safety harnesses and climbing in the trees. “Hi Y/n!” I looked up into the trees to see HaeJoon, a little girl who had taking a liking to me, waving down. “Looking good, Haejoon!”

“Look at the beauty that just walked in.” A voice behind me said. “Hello, Vernon.” I turned to see the brown haired boy with a smile plastered on his face. He wore the camp issued black hoodie and jeans. “Let me help you with that, cutie.” He took one of the bags I was carrying and brought it over to the girl’s picnic table. “Thanks, I guess.” I busied myself with looking in our schedule binder, but looked up to find him still leaning against the table. “How was your day?” 

He looked down at me with the smile that all the other girls on staff fawned over. “Was fine until a minuted ago.” “Awww Y/n don’t treat me this way.” His laugh echoed across the trees. Just then another boy counselor walked up. His name was Jihoon, and he and I had been friends for awhile now. “Hey, dummy.” He said with a smile ruffling my hair. I swatted his hand away playfully.

“Would you tell your dongsaeng to get off my ass.” He chuckled and turned to Vernon. “Get off her ass, Vernon.” I smirked looking up at the boy. “I can’t help it if her ass is cute!” I scoffed and turned back to Jihoon. “You guys ready for Camp Comp?” My best friend shrugged and looked to his campers. “Our group is pretty chill this year, but Vernon is pretty hyped about it.” I glanced over to see the smiling boy still there looking at me. “Really? Can’t wait to kick your sorry ass.” 

The rest of the hour was uneventful. Hyojin saved me from the conversation with Vernon and I went climbing with one of the girls. After the rope course was done the girls, Hyojin, our other counselor Hyebin (Hyojin’s sister), and I headed to the mess hall for lunch. The girls happily ate the lunch served and I stood at the head of one of the tables talking to the girls. All of a sudden their was a hand on my waist. 

“Long time no see.” I  turned and Vernon took the opportunity to kiss me on the cheek. All of the girls squealed and Vernon smiled at their reaction. “Girls are you being good for Y/n?” “Yes!” The table shouted. I looked to Hyojin for help and she simply shrugged with a smile on her face. “If you don’t shut your mouth, the next thing that comes out of it will be your teeth.” I said through my teeth. 

I had to admit, I was starting to like the attention Vernon was giving me. I would never admit it though. At my university, I was so busy studying I didn’t have time for dating. Not many boys seemed interested in me anyways. “Well, that’s my cue to leave. See you later girls!” He gave a salute and wink to the table and then returned to his own. 

“Y/n! Are you and Vernon Oppa dating?” HaeJoon asked with a bright toothy smile. Vernon was the girls’ favorite guy counselor by far. I had to confess he was great with kids. “No, we aren’t.” I shook my head and took a sip of my drink. “Y/n is too busy with school to date Vernon.” I choked on my water and shot a glare towards Hyebin who innocently smiled at me. “Does that mean you like him?” All the girls started piling on questions about me and Vernon.

I glanced over to his table only to see him playing around with one of his campers.”Listen, I don’t know how I feel about Vernon. It’s an adult thing okay?” Hyojin and Hyebin laughed at each other making kissy faces. 

“I hate all of you.”

“And The Great Sana sheathed her sword as she stood victorious in the tournament of champions!” I looked around the dimly lit cabin to see all the girls fast asleep. Carefully I climbed the stairs up to the loft where the counselors slept and changed into a crop top and sweatpants. “Nice story, Y/n. Way to set the bar for tomorrow night.” Hyebin said face down on her bed. I chuckled and grabbed my phone when a notification sounded. 

Message from Jihoon’s Dongsaeng

10:26 PM-  Look out your window.

Confused I walked to the window and looked down. There stood Vernon in joggers, a hoodie, and a jean jacket looking up into the loft. “You’ve got to be kidding me!” I said with a laugh. “What?” Hyojin came to the window, curious. “You have to go down!” Hyebin perked up and turned to the two of us at the window. “What’s going on?” “Vernon is at the window.” “’No way!”

I sat on my bed in disbelief as the girls quietly squealed as so as to not wake the sleeping campers. “I’m not going.” “Why not?” Hyebin whispered. “You saw him at lunch! The guys is just messing around.” Hyojin shrugged still looking out the window. “It’s like forty degrees out. I think he’s serious.” I sighed and looked out the window once more. “You never know unless you try.” Hyebin said, holding out my Timberlands. “We’ll cover for you when Amber does rounds.” Running a hand through my hair, I took my shoes and slipped them on before grabbing my phone.

Quietly I tiptoed down the stair and passed the girls. The cold air greeted me as I walked out of the cabin. Vernon turned at the sound of my footsteps and smiled. “What do you want, Vernon?” He faked being shot in the heart like the dork he was. “You wound me Y/n, truly.” I tried to hide the smile on my face to no avail. 

“Walk with me?” He held his hand out to me, waiting for me to take it. “You aren’t going to murder me are you?” He laughed and grabbed my hand. “No, not with your friends watching.” He pointed up to the window. Two heads popped out of sight just as we looked up. “Come on. The night it young. We have things to do.” He dragged me off down the trail leading away from the cabin. 

“So, you excited about the competition?” I shrugged. “I mean obviously. The girls are ready to kick butt this year. I’m just a little nervous about the counselor portion.” He nodded and continued to walk a little ahead of me, carefully watching the ground for roots or rocks. “What did you sign up for?” He briefly looked back at me, brown eyes twinkling in the moonlight. 

“All that was left was archery. Thing is I suck. I also signed up for the dance with Hyojin.” I heard him chuckle and I looked down at our hands which were still latched onto each other. Suddenly I felt very nervous. Vernon brought us into a small clearing. A rope swing hung from a big tree and it blew softly in the wind. 

“Are you cold?” Vernon asked turning and looking at me. I shrugged and was about to say no when Vernon removed his jacket and placed it over my shoulders. By instinct I wrapped it around my body and surrounded myself in its warmth. I watched as he walked over and stood on the swing, causing it to sway back and forth. “I could help you, you know.” “With what?” He smiled when he saw me moving towards him.

“With archery.”

“What’s in it for you?”

“The joy of your precious company.”

I couldn’t tell whether or not he was joking. The swing came to a stop and I stood looking up at him. “Wanna ride?” He motioned to the swing with a smirk after hopping off. Gently he pushed me onto the plank of wood and held onto the rope in the middle of the plank. “Ready?” I nodded with a smile. Soon he was pulling the rope after him as he jogged in a circle. When he let go the swing flew and spun in a circle. I laughed at the sensation and held on tightly to the rope. Every once and a while I felt Vernon’s hands on my back pushing me to keep up the momentum. 

“Stop! Stop!” I said with a laugh. Vernon slowed the swing and stood in front of me. “When are you off tomorrow?” He asked slightly out of breath from pushing me around. “After lunch.” He nodded and looked up in thought. “I can ask Hoshi to switch shift with me.” A silence fell between us. I didn’t necessarily desire to fill it this time. Something about Vernon made me curious. Was he really serious about me. Or was this dorky personality just part of some play?

“What about you what are you doing in the Comp?” I looked down at my shoes before meeting his eyes again. “I’m signed up for dance and wrestling.” There were two sections of the Camp Competition. One was girls vs boys, and the other was junior campers vs. senior campers. Vernon and I both were part of the junior staff. The kids did fun games like tug-of-war for JR. v SR, while counselors did things like wrestling. “The boys pressured me into it.” He nervously scratched his neck before looking at me again.“Well I hope you win.” Suddenly his smile returned, upturning at the corner of his lips. 

“Will you be cheering for me?” 

“Only if you win.”

“Works for me, Y/n.”

There was something about the way he said my name that I hadn’t noticed before. Something that made me want to hear it come from him over and over.

“That’s why avocados are the bacon of vegetables.” Tapping Vernon on the shoulder he turned around and his smile became even brighter. “You ready?” He nodded and turned towards Hoshi and his bright red hair. “Thanks for letting me take your shift.” He shooed him off and Vernon’s hand went to the small of my back as we walked out to the archery range.

Pulling the string back taught I kept my eye on the target. My fingers released and the arrow went flying through the air straight into the outer ring. “Hey! You hit the target this time.” Vernon said trying to hide his laughter. “You offered to help, not laugh.” He walked over to me and handed me another arrow. “I know. Take your aim.” I set the arrow in place and pulled it back again. I could feel Vernon’s presence behind me. He placed his hands on my waist and turned me so my hips were squared off to the side.

“Lower your elbow. Keep it straight.” His voice was low and calculated, like he was going through a checklist. He helped me make the adjustments with a gentle touch. “Use your lips as an anchor.” I felt the blush creep up my cheeks. I rested the nock onto the corner of my lips. “And....take a breath....” I could feel his hands still on my waist and it was like every cell of my body was awake at his touch. With a deep breath in and out I awaited his next instruction. “Release.”

My fingers released their grip and the arrow flew silently through the air and straight into the center. “Oh my God, Vernon!” I turned and jumped into his arms. “I did it!” He smiled at looked at arrow smack dab in the middle of the target. “Yeah you did! Congrats!” He looked at me with such adoration that I couldn’t help but blush.

The clearing of someone’s throat caused us to push each other away. “When you guys are finished deciding whether or not to fuck each other, Y/n we need you to help out with the counselor skit.” Jihoon stood with his arms crossed and staring at the two of us. “Uh....yeah. Thanks.” I quickly put the bow away and scurried off away from the awkward encounter.

Jihoon looked to Vernon who still had bright red cheeks slightly hidden by his shaggy brown hair. “Hey, Chwe.” He turned to his hyung, hearing his name. “You hurt her, and I will kick you ass so hard you won’t be able to stand for a month.” Vernon shuddered at his hyungs words and was about to respond until Jihoon walked away leaving him speechless.

With the days coming closer and closer to the end of summer, I began to look forward to Vernon at my window each night. However to avoid more embarrassment I asked him to come after the twins had gone to bed. I slowly tiptoed down the loft stairs into the main room. With a single step a floor board creaked sending a loud noise into the cavernous like room. Flinching, my body stilled and I waited to see if any of the girls woke up. 

Letting out a sigh of relief I balanced myself against the door and slipped on my shoes. “Y/n? Is that you?” A small voice called out. Turning I saw the small frame of Haejoon rubbing her eyes. “Haejoon-ah, go back to bed.” I gave her a smile, hoping to quickly leave soon. 

“Where are you going?”

“I-uh--I’m going to meet a special friend.”

“Can I come with you?”

I chuckled and finished tying my shoes. Picking her up, I placed her on my hip looking at her sleepy grin. “I don’t think he would be very happy if you came along. Besides, you must be well rested for competition tomorrow.” My whispers filled the large dimly lit room. “He?” Ah shit.

“Y/n, are you going to see Vernon oppa?” Her bright toothy smile seemed to light up the room. Nodding, I put a finger to my mouth, “You must keep it a secret. Okay?” She nodded and held out her pinky. Her cute action only made the smile on my face grow bigger. Sealing our secret with a pinky promise, I put her back in bed and quietly exited the cabin. My eyes searched for any sign of the head counselors only to almost let out a scream when a pair of arms wrapped around my midsection.

“Yah! Be quiet or you’ll get us both in trouble!” Turning my head I saw Vernon’s smiling face in the buzzing light outside the girls cabin. “You do know 6/10 horror stories take place at summer camps.” 

“Well then lets go be the couple that gets killed off first.”

“Really?”

“Yeah...that sounded better in my head. Let’s go.”

Withouth letting go of my waist Vernon and I started walking towards the lake. “We’ve got four hours before morning checks. Wanna go for a dip?” He said already half way finished removing his shirt. “Do I have a choice?” It was almost impossible not to laugh with Vernon around. It was getting harder and harder to find things to hate about him.

“What are you going to do when you go back to school?” Vernon asked as he swam in circles around me. “Back to studying most likely. What about you?” He shrugged, finally coming to a standstill and resting his chin on my shoulder. “Procrastinating classes, watching movies, hiding in my bed, hopefully with you.”

I turned at his words coming out of his embrace. “With me?” His hand came up to run through his wet hair. “Well, I mean yeah. With you.” He shyly glanced up at me. I had kind of figured out that Vernon liked me, but I didn’t think that this would turn into anything more than a summer fling. “I...I just didn’t think you were serious about- whatever this is.” Through the warm water I felt his fingers come to rest on my waist.  My hands went to his forearms and traveled up his arms to lay on his shoulders. 

“Of course I’m serious about this. What makes you think I’m not?” This time he stared me straight in the eyes. “Several things.” He scoffed and looked away. “Name three.” “I can name five!” Vernon still wore that quirky little smile on his lips, but his eyes held a seriosuness I hadn’t seen before. He nodded for me to continue.

“One, you flirt with all the girls.” “I’m a very friendly person.” His fingers traced patterns across my skin. His stare was piercing and it never once left my face. He seemed to have a response for everything I said. “Two, you never even talked to me before this year.” “Would you believe I was shy?” Trying to hide my smile I looked past him at the other end of the shore. 

“Three, you make everything a competition.”��“When?” I was shocked I had to remind him when an hour ago he challenged me to a race to the other side of the dock. “Four...” My eyes met his soft brown ones again. “Can’t think of one?” 

“Four, you haven’t even made an attempt to kiss me.” He laughed. “I can fix that right now!” Immediatley he pulled me closer and I had to dodge his lips while trying to contain my laughter. “Seriously, what else though.” Without me knowing, Vernon had slowly brought the two of us back to shore and near the dock. He pushed him self up and lended me a hand. “You won’t do any of this with me in front of the others.” 

His hand came up to my cheek and suddenly I felt embarrassed for even mentioning it. Did I really want everyone else to know? “I thought you didn’t want people to know.” I shrugged. “I don’t really know what I want right now.” He nodded and his hand dropped from my cheek. “I’ll walk you back to your cabin.” 

“Vernon...”

My fingers grasped at his wrist stopping him from walking away. He stopped and turned to look back at me.

“Listen, Y/n I don’t blame you.” His smile returned and he took my hand. He leaned down and kissed my cheek. “Just know that I am serious about this. About you.” The two of us then walked back to my cabin before he left me for the night.

The campers competition had ended and the girls had taken the victory this year. Before everyone moved out to the clearing to watch the counselor’s tournament it started pouring down rain. Everyone was soaked and the ground soon turned to mud. It was the last event of the day before everyone went back inside for the party. 

Vernon and I had barely spoken all day and Hyebin and Hyojin had taken notice. “What’s up with you and Vernon?” Hyebin shouted over the storm. Our red shirts clung to our skin and the black and maroon war paint for the girls team had started to streak down my cheeks as well as theirs. I looked over to the boy counselors in their blue tank tops which heavily hung on their shoulders. Blue and black paint was streaked all over their skin. Vernon’s usually light brown tossled hair was now hanging in dark wet strands in front of his eyes as he talked to Jihoon.

“You like him! I can see it!” My attention turned back to Hyojin’s voice. “Yeah, I think I do.” I felt a tap on my leg and I looked to see Haejoon pulling at my shorts. With a smile I picked her up. “Is Vernon oppa going to be in the next event?” She pointed over to Vernon who was still talking with Jihoon across the way. They were looking across the small clearing filled with puddles and mud at the Sr. counselors. 

“Holy fu-” I shot Hyebin a glare and nodded at Haejoon. “Holy fluff..” She corrected herself. “Is Vernon going up against Jackson?” I turned to find both boys taking off their IDs and shirts and stepping over the fence into the tiny makeshift arena. “We just have to cheer him on!” Haejoon said in my ear. She asked me to take her up to the fence to watch.

I stood behind her as she stood on the barrier. Quickly I explained the rules of the event to her. “For Vernon-ah to win, he has to get the other oppa to tap out twice.” She nodded and whispered in my ear. My eyes found Vernon once again to see him already looking at me. Without looking at my little camper I nodded at her words.

Right before the referee blew his whistle Haejoon and I yelled, “VERNON OPPA! FIGHTING!” That huge megawatt smile grew on his face as he heard us and he sent us a wave before taking his position once again. The whistle was blown and both boys circled each other for a few moments before Vernon went in for the first strike. 

The boys weren’t allowed to physically hit or kick each other, but anything else was fair game. Jackson had Vernon by the waist and tried to knock him off his feet. “Come on Vernon!” I screamed into the crowd. Every person in camp was watching the event and cheering on the counselors. Haejoon cheered wildly beside me as Vernon took the upper hand for a second and pulled Jackson’s leg out from under him causing both boys to fall into the mud.

Jackson recovered quickly and flipped Vernon over onto his stomach and put one of his arms in a lock. “Come on Vernon! You can do it!” The two of us yelled. After another second, Vernon tapped out, splashing dirty water on the ground next to him. Cheers from the Senior side of the field were loud and filled the clearing. Jihoon handed Vernon a bottle of water before turning him back in. 

His face was and body were half covered with mud and sweat. Blue paint and brown mud mixed on his cheeks and hair. He glanced my way and I gave him a thumbs up, hoping to lift his spirits. While Jackson drank some water Vernon came over to Haejoon and me. “Hi,” He said out of breath. His eyes went first to me and then to Haejoon causing a big smile to come on his face.

“How’s your arm?” Carefully I pulled it from his side and looked at the red mark from Jackson’s grip. “It’s fine. There is no such thing as weight class in summer camp, right?” I could see he was making a joke, but something told me he was actually worried. Jackson was a big guy compared to Vernon. My fingers entertwined themselves with his and he looked down at them resting on the fence. “We are cheering for you.” I shouted over the rain. Haejoon smiled at him once last time before he let go of my hand and went back to the ring.

The second round began and I could hear the twins behind us cheering for Vernon. This time he waited for Jackson to attack first. When he did, he used his size advantage to dodge and wrap his arms around Jackson’s stomach. Before I could even blink Vernon used Jackson’s momentum to swing him around and into the ground with Vernon ontop of the heavy built senior. 

Haejoon and I screamed like crazy as Jackson tapped out. Vernon being his dumbass jumped up and did a victory dance high fiving anyone he could see. Soon the third round began and Vernon again let Jackson attack first. The rain pelting hard down on the ground made it slick as the boys wrestled and fell to the ground. The third round was much more of close call. No one could tell who would win until Jackson twisted Vernon’s wrist in the wrong way causing him to tap out. 

The senior campers cheered for their counselor and Jackson ran over to them covered in mud. I put Haejoon on the ground and she ran to Vernon and hugged his leg. I watched as he smiled at her and picked her up with his other hand. I sloshed through the rain over to them and wrapped an arm around his mud covered waist.

“Hi.” He said, once again out of breath. Mud and blue paint was streaked all over his face and chest. “Hey, I’m gonna get your shirt all messy.” He tried to push me away, but I stayed put. With a smile he gave up and adjusted Haejoon on his hip. Before he could say anything else or crack another joke, my hands flew to his neck and I pulled him into a kiss. I could hear the twins squeal from somewhere in the crowd.

Smiling I pulled away to look at his shocked face. “I’m going to put the kid down now if that’s okay.” I chuckled as he let Haejoon down from his arms and she ran off to Hyojin. As soon as he did his lips crashed back onto mine giving me the best kiss I could ever imagine. He pushed a wet strand of hair behind my ear and stroked my cheek. 

Vernon pulled away and smiled at me through the rain. “I didn’t win though?” I shook my head and wiped some of the mud off of his face and shoulders. “Doesn’t matter.” He smiled and pressed his forehead against mine still out of breath. “So, I remember being promised movies in your bed?” He laughed and picked me up by my waist.

“I have never been more excited to go back to school.”

Masterlist

Requests are open my lovelies

[wickedapollo]

Addison Thompson and the Lightning Theif

Greek Gods and Vampires, Oh My! 1/?

Honestly, If I had the choice between a room with Nancy Bobofit, and this. I would chose that Freckly tea-bag anyday. It's not that Fied trips were bad, no not at all, I just would have much rather have only the one shaperone than two.

But my vote didn't matter, at least not to anyone else. Mosy Yancy Fieldtrips, ask any other student, were torture. I mean, if they wanted us to participate in any actual activities, they should take us somewhere fun. Not a Metropolitan Musuem for Art. Who finds dead things fascinating like that anyways?

The bus jostled over a curb and I was thrown into the back of the seat in front of me. My face plastered to the unclean leather, making my face hot, almost to the burning point. My body was sliding, towards the incredibly disgustingly unclean floor. I panicked, grabbing the back of my seat and trying to heave myself back into the seat.

That failed. I wound up on the floor anyway and now had to get back into my seat discretely without being yelled at. A pretty feesable task if Mrs. Dodds didn't have a sonar radar for every little thing I do. I did my best, pretending I had been laying down and got uncomfortable. She didn't yell though, which I was glad for.

In the seat next to me, which sat my two very Best Friends, sat Percy Jackson and Grover Underwood. Percy was fairly small for our age, but I could bet he'd be tall when we were older, he had a wild head of dark hair, which was always disheveled no matter how you looked at it, and Sea Green eyes that were filled with mischief. Grover didn't seem to get so lucky, his hair was an almost carmel-y color and a curly mess, his eyes were a soulful brown that reminded me of a puppy, his skin was dotted with freckles. Poor boy had an odd Muscular Disease in his legs.

I looked over just in time to watch a red and brownish colored sandwich chunk flop onto the top of grover's head. He tried to shake it out, but it simply made it worse. I frowned, glaring back behind him to see who'd thrown it.

Nancy Bobofit was winding up to throw another junk of Ketchup-Peanut butter sandwich at him. I clenched my teeth, if Mrs. Dodds and Mr. Brunner wouldn't have yelled at me, I gladly would have thrown one of Grover's crutches at her. I think Percy had the same idea, but it didn't really occur to me until she'd lobbed the piece at Grover and he dodged it while trying to calm Percy down.

"That's it." The boy had grumbled, starting to stand before Grover pushed him back into the seat. His head thudded against the seat and he gave Grover a look.

"You're on probation." Grkver hastily reminded him. I shifted in my seat, the idea of Percy actually being expelled mind boggled me. Yes he was troubled, that's what Yancy Academy was for, troubled kids. But Percy had this weird little way of making Grover and I calm that made me wonder why he wasn't friends with everyone. "You know who'll get blamed if anything happens."

"Unless she did something unsavory." I grunted, moving my legs into the isle to face the two. Both boys looked at me like I'd grown two heads.

"I don't sven know what that means." Percy grumbled, turning to look out the window at the dreary, boring New York Landscape. I frowned at him, then I had to remind myself we were in different English Classes.

"It means shady, Percy." Grover grumbled. I perked up as Percy whipped back around to face me. He looked very intriguded by my idea, which honestly wasn't a very good one.

"Miss Thompson, Feet out of the Isle please!" Mr. Brunner called from his seat in the back. I turned immediately and seated myself against the the window. No one sat by me, honestly ptobably because I had no female friends.

...

The high pitched whir of Mr. Brunner's wheelchair as our group walked through the museum was beginning to get on my nerves faster than I wanted it too. The museum was probably a great sight to see if there weren't like thirty of us, but all in all, all of this stuff looked great. I'm not entirely sure why ancient things appeal to me, I mean, sure. It's history and every moment we breath is history in the making, but the idea that something has lasted for so long? Enchanting.

We had gathered around an about thirteen feet tall statue, a stele. I was half listening, mainly because Nancy and her gang were too busy laughing at something. But the chips and scars in the collumn made me sad, a young girl about our age? Young people's funerals made me sad, the idea that they died so young without being able to finish their lives? Utterly a fearful and painful reality some people had to face.

I wasn't paying attention to anything, not really. I was mainly contemplating that poor girl's death, why would someone want to kill a young kid? It made no sense to me at all. I doubt I could hurt a fly without breaking into tears.

There was giggling off to my left and Percy turned to glare at them, trying to focus on Mr. Brunner's speeking. I shifted and stared straight ahead as the giggling just reached an octive higher.

"Will you shut up?" Percy hissed, probably much louder than he intended, because everyone was snickering as Mr. Brunner stopped and stared at us. I felt like one of those frogs in science class, carefully being disected and looked over.

"Mr. Jackson," the teacher sighed and looked over the rest of us. I shifted i place picking at my cuticles and trying to look anywhere but at him. "Did you have a comment?"

Percy's face was redder than a tomato. I guess I expected that though, Percy had a knack for doing things like this. "No, sir."

Mr. Brunner wasn't frowning at us anymore, which I was glad for, but when I turned to look away Mrs. Dodds was there, practically breathing down our necks. I did well in School, I was never late, the lowest Grade I'd ever gotten was a D+, and even then it was because I wasn't there for the lesson. I was started when Mr. Brunner held up a pen and pointed to a picture on the stele.

"Perhaps you'll tell us what this picture represents?" I recognized it easy, I mean. Sure, I enjoyed school, to a degree, but Mr. Brunner's class would always be my favorite. I had an A+ in there, and I was not about to loose it because Percy couldn't remember the name of a Titan and his children.

"That's Kronos eating his kids, right?" Percy sounded unsure, and I wanted to thwop him upside the head with something. I understood that I had a very, very wonderful memory. Which is probably why Grover and Percy would practically beg me to study with them before exams. But Percy was probably the most thick skulled kid I had ever met.

"Yes," Mr. Brunner nodded, but his voice sounded strained. Almost like if you were annoyed and trying very hard not to show it. "And he did this because...?"

"Well..." Percy shifted his weight nervously, and he focusing above Mr. Brunner's head. I fought the urge to let my hand shoot up, because Percy had been asked a direct question, it would have been rude. "Kronos was the King god and-"

"Titan." I whisper-hissed quietly, and Mrs. Dodds' eyes narrowed at me. I swear, if she turned out to be half snake I might have cried. I didn't understand what I'd done to make her dislike me so much, but I wish I could take it back.

"God?" Mr. Brunner raised an eyebrow at Percy questioningly.

"Titan," he corrected himself, glanced at me almost in thanks, "And... Uh, he didn't trust his kids, who were gods. So, um, Kronos ate them, right? But his wife hid baby Zeus, and gave Kronos a rock to eat instead. And later, when Zeus grew up, he tricked his dad, Kronos, into barfing up his brothers and sisters-"

"Eeeew!" One of the girl's behind us made a gagging sound and I wanted to hurl the wad of cash in my pocket for the gift shop at them, but that would be wasteful.

" -and so there was this big fight between the gods and the Titans," he continued sounding strained. He looked a little panicked, but I mean I would be too. "And the gods won."

A lot of the kids around us were laughing like giddy school-girls. I wanted to cower behind Percy right then, because I could feel Mrs. Dodds' eyes on me, almost like she was trying to pry something out of my soul.

"Like we're ever going to use this in real life. Like it's going to say on aourjob applications, 'Please explain why Kronos ate his kids.' " Nancy Bobofit mumbled to a friend, rolling her eyes. I agreed whole heartedly, when was this stuff going to be important? Like, yeah maybe, if our parents decided they didn't like us and tried to eat us, we could just feed them rocks? Highly unlikely.

"And why, Mr. Jackson," Mr. Brunner looked pointedly behind us at Nancy's group and flinched when his eyes trailed over us, "To paraphrase Miss Bobofit's excellent question, does this matter in real life?"

"Busted," Grover mumbled, the corner of his lips twitching. I smiled, aiming my face at the floor so Mrs. Dodds wouldn't see me.

"Shut up," Nancy hissed, looking like shd wanted to claw him to pieces. Her face was bright red, maybe even darker than her hair. I was glad Nancy at least got in trouble in Mr. Burnner's class, Mrs. Dodds seemed to think she was an Angel.

Percy looked like he was contemplating, and our little run in just now probably didn't help. He shrugged one shoulder, and then the other. Then both at once went up and he sighed defeatedly. "I don't know, sir."

"I see, Miss Thompson," I flinched and looked up apologetically. I didn't think I'd done anything wrong, "Do you have an answer?"

"I-I uh..." I swallowed, what was I supposed to say? 'Yeah, if our parents eat us'? "I-It's not like we are going to use it, sir, not unless our parents decide to eat us."

"Very well, half credit to both of you," he sounded disappointed. Like someone had just cancelled his favorite show, and he'd just heard about it. "Zeus did indeed feed Kronos a mixture of mustard and wine, which made him disgorge his other five children, who, of course, being immortal gods had been living and growing up comepletely undigested in the titans stomach. The gods defeated their father, sliced him to pieces with his own scuthe, and scattered his remains in Tartarus, the darkest part of the Underworld. On that happy note, it's time for lunch. Mrs. Dodds would you lead us back outside?"

"That sounds like a story for family reunions." I whispered to Grover as we began to walk outside. He smiled slightly, like he did find it funny but he wasn't going to say so.

"Mr. Jackson, Miss Thompson." I flinched, and turned to look back at Mr. Brunner sheepishly. I felt like sinking into the floor and hiding, I didn't feel like being yelled at, or weeded out from the group.

"Sir?" Percy asked, I didn't mean to but I stepped closer to him, half hiding behind him and half peeking around like a terrified animal. Grover continued, looking back almost sadly.

"You must learn the answer to my question," he told us, looking both of us over carefully. I shifted and Percy looked a little confused.

"About the Titans?" I asked curiously, practically leaning over Percy's shoulder.

"About real life. And how your studies apply to it." I frowned. Yes it was interesting, but who would use this stuff unless you were an Archeologist. Percy let out a small 'oh' in reply.

"What you learn from me," he said, and took us both by the arm, "Is vitally important. I expect you to treat it as such. I will accept only the best from both of you."

I will never understand Mr. Brunner. I get teacher, during the summer I live with two, but Mr. Brunner's class was fun and eventful. He used a sword sometimes, those were the best days. It was always great, he and my father would have gotten along well. My father had owned a patch of land on the Missouri-Arkansas border that had once been a Peach Orchard. It'd been in our family for generations. He'd found a bout of oil under the surface, struck it rich, and finished his history degree in colledge and came up here to New York. I hadn't done well in the public schools here, so he sent me to Yancy. He claimed it'd be easier, but I was so homesick sometimes I thought I could just float back to the little farm house we'd had.

"Of course, sir." I managed, nodding as Percy mumbled out his speel. Mr. Brunner nodded and took a look at the stele. The object put a melancholic feeling in my chest, like my Grandma had just died again. He dismisses us and I felt like running out of there.

...

I never liked thunderstorms. Usually they meant that it flooded the cornfields and meant there was no surplus for that month. We'd managed to get back with Grover, and I felt like pelting Nancy Bobofit eith my apple, she shouldn't steal from people. What if they needed those things? At the beginning of the year she'd given me this little silver bracelet, said I could keep it. Turns out she'd stolen it from our P.E teacher and I got blamed. Of course my father and mother had rushed down immediatley and were not happy. No one would listen to me that I hadn't stolen it. Only Percy and Grover listened, I guess that's how we made friends.

I had found myself sitting beside Grover, more like laying really. The mist from the fountain had dotted my clothes and skin, but I really didn't mind.

I was too busy staring at the sky to really notice Nancy walking towards us. Though I don't know how you can miss her, bright red hair and all. She dumped her half-eaten crustable in his lap.

"Oops." She grinned wickedly, if I had the opportunity to wipe that grin off her face and rub dirt in her mouth? I would have. Maybe even shove her face in a cow pie, that would have been good.

I'm not entirely sure what happened next, because there's not really a logical explanation. It looked like the water formed to snakes and grabbed her by the arms and just tugged her in. I let my mouth drop. How on earth does something like that happen?

"Percy pushed me!" Nancy screamed, suddenly a blubbering mess. Mrs. Dodds practically just appeared next to us, I was far too busy staring at where the water was to care about what was actually happening. I must be going crazy right?

Mrs. Dodds made sure Little Nancy was okay, promising to buy her new clothes from the giftshop. My heartbeat was in my ears, Percy hadn't pushed her. But then she turned on Percy.

"Now, Honey-"

"I know," he grumbled glaring at the ground. I frowned, he hadn't even touched her. "A month erasing workbooks."

"Come with me." She growled, waiting for him to stand up so she could practically eat him alive.

"N- Wait! It was me! I pushed her, Mrs. Dodds." I shakily stood, fidgiting with my fingers. Grover looked possibly ready to start with his excuses. Percy's jaw had fallen open.

"Miss Thompson, I don't believe-"

"I did Mrs. Dodds! I pushed her. Let me make up for it please." I pleaded, wringing my hands togwther nevously. Who was I kidding? Mrs. Dodds would eat me alive and then what would I do? Serve detention? Make my dad shake his head at me?

"Miss Thompson, I do not condone lying."

"I pushed her, Mrs. Dodds." I tried again, she narrowed her eyes at me and I tried my hardest not to change my expression.

"You-will-stay-here." I felt figity, I knew somehow she wouldn't listen. Just a little voice in the back of my mind. I dropped back into my seat beside Grover.

Percy gave us a sympathetic look, more of a 'come save me' look honestly. I felt horrible. How was I supposed to do anything if I couldn't even cover for Percy? Even Percy could come up with a better story than that.

I watched as the two of them disappeared into the Museum. Grover put his hand on my shoulder, trying to be comforting. It kind of was, but when I looked up at him, he wasn't looking at me. His nostrils were flared up angrily, like he smelled something disgusting.

"Not again." He whispered and was out of his seat in seconds, practically running towards Mr. Brunner. I was so caught up in Grover looking frantic that I didn't notice Nancy.

She slammed her hand against the surface of the water, and droplets flew at me. They were cold, freezing in fact. I flinched and looked over at her.

She was absolutely soaked. Her clothes were tightly stuck and she was shivering. I felt kind of bad for her, shivering like that. I was twmpted to gove her my jacket, but it was the only one she hadn't stolen. I also knew if I did I wouldn't get it back.

I looked back and noticed Grover was walking back over. Or at least, to the beat of his ability. He sat between us, and Nancy got up to move. I shivered slightly, hunching over.

A wave of warmth flooded over our little group. Things started shimmering, and I was getting a headache. I shook my head, trying to clear it. There was a split second where everything spun and I felt like my memories were being rewritten. I stuck my hand into the fountain and splashed my face.

"I hope Mrs. Kerr doesn't mess him up too bad." Grover sighed, looking towards the door of the Museum. Wait... What?

"Grover... Who's Mrs. Kerr?" I asked, turning to face him. His mouth opened but he hesitated, looking at me funny. Like he'd come to a realization, like he found out we had a paper due tomorrow, and one that took awhile.

"Addy, Mrs. Kerr, our Pre-Algebra teacher?" He looked slightly startled. Like I'd sprouted a second head. I raised an eyebrow at him, like he was crazy. Which he was, we didn't have a teacher named Mrs. Kerr.

"Grover, our Pre-Algebra teacher was Mrs. Dodds." I wrapped a strand of my dark hair around my finger, frowning at the crimping of the curls.

"No..? We never had a teacher named Mrs. Dodds." He tried to convince me. He really was trying. But Grover was a terrible liar, he hesjtated before he said anything about it and he was looking at me strangely.

We were too busy arguing to notice Percy coming out of the Museum. It was beginning to rain, so most of us gathered around Mr. Brunner's umbrella.

"Addy, there's never even been a Mrs. Dodds. I don't even think there's one in New York."

I am so doneeeee my writing just keeps getting worseeeeeee.